While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to publicly warn Israel over its operations in Syria, quiet diplomatic contacts are underway behind the scenes. Last week, an official meeting took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, between Israeli and Turkish representatives, aimed at preventing a direct military clash in the Syrian arena. Today (Wednesday), senior Israeli sources report that behind closed doors, Turkey “has no interest in a confrontation with Israel,” according to a report published in Maariv.
Establishing Turkish military bases in the Tadmor area will be considered crossing a red line
During the meeting, Israel delivered a firm message regarding the deployment of foreign forces in Syria. A senior diplomatic official said after the talks that Israel made it absolutely clear: establishing Turkish military bases in the Tadmor (Palmyra) area would be a serious violation and a red line.
The official confirmed that the talks in Baku last week concluded with an agreement to create a mechanism for preventing military friction in Syria. Under the agreement, meetings like the one in Baku will become routine.
Daily strikes in Syria continue
“Israel isn’t waiting on anyone—strikes in Syria are carried out daily. Israel will not allow the new Syrian regime to grow stronger or build a military force,” the official stated. “Despite the hostility toward Israel that has grown since October 7, in the context of the war in Gaza, Turkey is still a rational player,” he explained. “We are not at war with the Turks. It’s more accurate to describe Israel and Turkey as rival players.”
“Israel is still willing to restore relations with Turkey, but according to all assessments, Erdoğan isn’t moving in that direction, and a renewed rapprochement is unlikely in the near future. That’s why it’s important to maintain the mechanism that prevents a conflict neither side wants,” he said.
Turkish president plans visit to Syria
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Turkey’s president is planning a visit to Syria. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that officials are working to set suitable dates for the trip. Since the fall of the Assad regime, Turkey has been weighing whether and how to establish its own infrastructure on Syrian soil.
American withdrawal from Syria
Meanwhile, sources close to the Kurdish forces told the Qatari-backed newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the first convoy of American troops left the U.S. base near the Conoco gas field in eastern Syria ten days ago. The convoy reportedly included seventy vehicles, heavy equipment, and armored personnel carriers. The departing forces have since arrived in Erbil, in Iraq’s Kurdish region.
