BRUSSELS – Turkey has no desire for confrontation with Israel in Syria, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday, following repeated Israeli strikes on Syrian military targets that he said undermine the stability of the region and weaken deterrence.
Speaking to Reuters during a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Fidan criticized Israel’s actions in Syria, where the administration of President Ahmed al-Sharaa is a close ally of Turkey. He warned that such operations could fuel long-term instability in the Middle East.
“If the Damascus administration seeks any form of understanding with Israel—another neighbor of Syria—that is entirely their prerogative,” Fidan said.
Turkey, a NATO member, has strongly condemned Israel over its military campaign in Gaza since 2023, accusing it of committing genocide against Palestinians. Ankara has moved to support a World Court case against Israel and suspended all trade with the country. Israel has firmly rejected the genocide allegations.
Tensions between the two regional powers have spilled into Syria, where Israeli airstrikes have persisted since the emergence of the new Syrian administration. Turkey has labeled the strikes as violations of Syrian sovereignty, while Israel has defended its actions, citing national security concerns and the presence of hostile forces in the region.
When asked about US President Donald Trump’s threats of military action against Iran, Fidan emphasized the need for diplomacy. “We do not want to see any military attack on our neighbor Iran,” he said, reinforcing Turkey’s call for peaceful solutions to regional disputes.