Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Israel of destabilizing Syria following the fall of the Assad regime. He made the statement while speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) in Turkey on Sunday, April 12.
The remarks came just two days after Turkey and Israel held diplomatic talks, surprising many political analysts. According to The Guardian, both countries have active military presence in Syria, which necessitated a meeting between Turkish and Israeli officials in Azerbaijan on April 9 to avoid potential conflicts.
Despite this meeting, Erdogan criticized Israel’s military activities in Syria, claiming they are undermining peace efforts. He emphasized that Turkey does not want any new conflict in Syria and accused Israel of sabotaging the revolution that led to the downfall of the Assad regime.
Erdogan, a key supporter of Syria’s interim government formed after Assad’s fall, reiterated Turkey’s commitment to preserving Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. He said Turkey has discussed these issues with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Erdogan also called for lifting sanctions imposed on Syria and assured interim government head Ahmed al-Sarra that Turkey would not allow any new conflicts in the country.
On December 8, the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by al-Sarra, seized Damascus, resulting in the collapse of Assad’s regime. Turkey immediately established relations with the new interim government and is now seeking a defense agreement with Damascus, which includes plans to set up military bases and use Syrian airspace.
Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its military activities in Syria, further straining relations with Turkey. Earlier this month, Israel conducted airstrikes on three Syrian military bases. Turkish military officials have since inspected key installations such as Hama’s main airport, the T-4 airbase in Homs, and the Palmyra port, possibly as part of the proposed joint defense deal with the interim government.
According to Aron Lund of the New York-based think tank Century International, Russia was one of Assad’s major allies during the civil war. If Turkey gains access to Syrian airspace post-Assad, Israel’s military operations in the region could be significantly constrained. Lund also noted Israel’s objections to the interim government’s military deployment in southern Syria, particularly around Daraa, where Israeli forces have reportedly begun entering.
Despite the tensions, Lund sees the recent diplomatic talks between Turkey and Israel as a positive step, suggesting that establishing a communication channel could benefit all parties involved.
Following the talks, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that high-level discussions with Israel were held to reduce misunderstandings and prevent further conflict. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office also confirmed that both countries agreed to continue dialogue to ensure regional stability.