Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (picture credit score: Getty Photos/Tom Nicholson, Adam Smigielski, emarto, REUTERS/Remo Casilli. Karam al-Masri)
Whereas Erdogan is doing the whole lot to delegitimize Israel, any settlement between Israel and Syria “additionally undermines Turkey’s technique,” Yanarocak informed Maariv.
By getting nearer to Israel, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is basically attempting to cut back Turkish affect in Damascus, Tel Aviv College’s Moshe Dayan Heart for Center Jap and African Research’s Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak informed Maariv on Wednesday.
Sharaa is attempting to cut back dependency on Turkey with out fully severing ties, whereas Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan watches with concern as a rustic that was as soon as underneath his affect may be a part of the Abraham Accords.
Is Turkey’s affect in Syria robust sufficient to forestall it from becoming a member of? A fancy geopolitical wrestle in unfolding with Turkey on the heart.
Turkey sees each step Damascus takes in direction of becoming a member of the Abraham Accords as a direct risk to Ankara’s regional place.
Sharaa’s motives are removed from ideological, nevertheless, Yanarocak argues. “Sharaa is making this transfer not as a result of he is a Zionist, however as a result of it grants him a form of independence from Turkey,” he clarifies.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) attend a joint press convention on the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, February 4, 2025. (credit score: REUTERS/CAGLA GURDOGAN)
A better relationship with Israel opens the door for the brand new Syrian authorities to have sanctions lifted and to method the rich Gulf states, which represents a key to financial and safety independence from Turkey’s sphere of affect.
Nonetheless, Turkey’s affect in Syria isn’t just hypothetical. “Turkish intelligence was truly the primary worldwide physique to conduct an open official go to to Syria after Assad’s fall,” Yanarocak famous.
“Northern Syria continues to be successfully underneath Turkish occupation. The Turks present numerous infrastructure for airports and transportation inside Syria,” he added.
Not solely that, however “a good portion of Syria’s cupboard and management both studied in Turkey, whereas some are Turkish residents, and most have ties to Turkey,” Yanarocak commented.
The brand new Center East’s geopolitics additionally shapes Turkey’s place.
Turkey advantages from Israel’s weakening of Iran
“Iran and Turkey are historic rivals. The Turks gained’t admit it, however they actually profit from the results of the final warfare, specifically, the humiliation of the Iranians,” Yanarocak analysed.
Within the wake of Iran’s humiliation, Turkey can now label itself as the one Muslim energy within the Center East,” he added.
The result’s a brand new actuality the place “on the prime of the Center East, as regional powers, who can we see? Solely Israel and Turkey,” Yanarocak informed Maariv.
Given this, Syria turns into the central space for anticipated friction between Israel and Turkey, Yanarocak famous.
“I positively suppose Turkey will make efforts to make sure that the Syrians don’t signal this settlement,” he commented.
This is because of how Turkey “desires the Syrians to stay on their facet together with Qatar. Additionally they wish to see Israel remoted.”
Whereas Erdogan is doing the whole lot to delegitimize Israel, any settlement between Israel and Syria “additionally undermines Turkey’s technique,” he added.
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