Will Israel’s potential Syria security deal intensify its rivalry with Turkey?
Israeli experts warn that a security deal with Syria won’t ease tensions with Turkey or end the ongoing battle for regional influence.
TEL AVIV — The historic US-mediated discussions on an Israeli-Syrian security agreement appear to be making progress, but diplomats and security experts are warning that a deal could also exacerbate the tense competition between the region’s top two powers — Israel and Turkey — over influence in Syria.
Recent talks between top Israeli and Syrian officials have generated a flurry of reports about a deal to de-escalate tensions. Some even suggest the possibility of a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September, involving US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Last week, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani met in Paris with an Israeli delegation led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. The talks focused on de-escalation, noninterference in Syrian affairs and agreements aimed at supporting regional stability, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
Turkey in the background
