A third round of talks between Israel and Turkey is set to take place today (Thursday), this time at a higher diplomatic level than the previous meetings. The negotiations will be held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, under the mediation of the host country, and will focus on mounting tensions over Turkey’s military involvement in Syria.
According to reports, Turkey plans to establish seven military bases across broad areas of Syria—a move that has raised concern in Israel. Previous, lower-level talks between the two countries yielded no significant progress. Israel is now working to make clear that it will not permit the deployment of Turkish forces near the border, where they may pose a direct security threat.
Israel’s Key Demands
As reported by Kan News, Israel intends to present two primary demands during this round of talks: No deployment of Turkish military forces near the Syrian-Israeli border, due to the risk of a direct threat to Israeli security. No deployment of strategic weaponry in Syrian territory that could potentially endanger Israel.
The Lebanese Front
The backdrop to these talks also includes heightened tensions in the Lebanese theater and Turkey’s growing involvement throughout the region. Officials in Jerusalem believe that Turkey’s continued expansion of its military presence in Syria could destabilize the region and lead to direct security consequences for Israel.
Meanwhile, Turkey has stated that its plan is aimed at controlling areas where armed groups threaten local security. It remains unclear whether the current talks in Baku will lead to concrete agreements or whether the diplomatic stalemate will persist.
Israel: Any Border Threat Will Be Met with a Response
Israeli diplomatic officials made it clear that the goal is to reach agreements that ensure Israel’s security, while preventing the presence of regular Turkish forces in Syrian territory near the border. “Any threat to the border will be met with an Israeli response,” they stated.
