Israel Today: Türkiye and Israel reached an agreement for military cooperation in Syria to prevent any friction between the two sides
An official Israeli source revealed to Israel Today newspaper on Wednesday that Israel and Türkiye have reached an important agreement to coordinate the movements of their military forces in Syria, with the aim of avoiding any clashes or friction between the two sides in the region.
The source confirmed that Tel Aviv adhered to its position that southern Syria must remain a weapons-free zone, emphasizing the need to respect this point within the framework of the new cooperation.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation indicated that talks between Ankara and Tel Aviv will resume Thursday in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, which is acting as a mediator between the two sides.
The source expected that Israel will present three main demands to Türkiye during this round of negotiations.
Israel accuses Türkiye of seeking to strengthen its military presence in Syria, including establishing military bases, which Tel Aviv considers an escalatory step that carries significant risks to regional stability.
Israel is ready for US mediation.
In this context, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his willingness to seek US mediation if tensions with Türkiye escalate within Syrian territory.
Meanwhile, Israeli aircraft continue to launch raids on military targets inside Syria, reiterating their rejection of any armed presence in southern Syria.
Since the overthrow of Assad’s regime in December 2024, the region has witnessed unprecedented political and military transformations, with a new competition emerging between Türkiye and Israel, the two prominent regional powers, for influence in Syria and neighboring countries.
Former Israeli officials emphasized the importance of establishing a permanent cooperation mechanism between Türkiye and Israel to prevent unwanted military conflicts between the two sides.
They added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s public rhetoric criticizing Israeli activities in Syria doesn’t necessarily reflect Türkiye’s intention to engage in a military confrontation with Israel, as Ankara appears to be keen to avoid escalation.
The meetings were held between representatives from Israel and Türkiye in Azerbaijan, aimed at calming tensions and preventing an escalation of the current crisis.
Israel made it clear that any attempt to change the deployment of foreign forces in Syria, particularly the establishment of Turkish bases in the Palmyra region, is a red line that threatens trust between the two sides.
The source indicated that the two sides agreed during the talks in Baku to establish a permanent mechanism to prevent military conflict in Syria, with similar periodic meetings to be held in the future, although the date and location of the next meeting haven’t yet been determined.
