Turkey and Israel held “technical talks” to avoid clashes between their forces in Syria, a Turkish official said on Thursday.
The initial meetings took place the day before in Azerbaijan and aimed to establish a “de-escalation mechanism to prevent unwanted incidents in Syria,” explained a spokesperson from the Turkish Defense Ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter. “Efforts will continue to create a mechanism that prevents any kind of conflict,” the official added.
Since the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad late last year, both Israel and Turkey have been working to secure their respective interests in Syria. The Turkish Foreign Ministry has reported Israeli airstrikes on a Syrian airbase that Turkey is reportedly looking to use to expand its influence in the region.
Israel, meanwhile, fears that Syria’s new Islamist leadership poses a direct threat along its northern border and has established a security zone within Syrian territory.
Turkey’s growing role as a key player in Syria has also raised concerns in Israel, particularly regarding the possible expansion of Turkish military presence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that Turkish bases in neighboring Syria would be “a threat to Israel.”
Ankara backs the new Syrian government, led by former rebel groups that it supported during the 13-year civil war. That support includes counterterrorism operations against the extremist group Islamic State.
The Defense Ministry official also mentioned that the establishment of a joint Turkish-Syrian training base is being considered, emphasizing that the initiative complies with international law and “is not aimed at any third countries.”
Though once strong regional allies, Turkey and Israel’s relationship has cooled in recent years and has worsened further since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has openly criticized the Israeli offensive, drawing strong reactions from Israeli authorities.
