Two days after Israeli and Turkish officials held direct talks in Azerbaijan aimed at easing tensions between the countries—particularly amid a growing power struggle in Syria—Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued to level sharp accusations and threats against Israel.
In a speech Friday afternoon at a diplomatic conference in Antalya, Erdogan again labeled Israel a “terror state,” accusing it of trying to “sabotage the revolution” that overthrew the Assad regime in Syria and of sowing sectarian division there. He warned: “Anyone who seeks to bring pain again to the Syrian people must be ready to pay the price.”
Erdogan also claimed that “Israel has become a problematic state that poses a direct threat to regional stability, especially through its attacks on Lebanon and Syria.” He declared, “We will not allow anyone to undermine Syria’s security and stability. Syria’s security is our security.”
Erdogan also condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza. Referring to reports of an Israeli strike that killed civilians in Khan Younis earlier in the day, he said: “Just this morning, ten people, including seven children from the same family, became martyrs in Khan Younis. If this isn’t barbarism, what is?”
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Despite the diplomatic dialogue, tensions between Turkey and Israel remain high. Erdogan’s speech underscored the lack of progress in easing hostilities. “Israel is a terror state—there is no other definition,” he said. “It is attempting to incite sectarian conflict in Syria to undermine the achievements of the revolution. Anyone trying to hurt the Syrian people again must be prepared to pay the price.”
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The damage caused by the Israeli attacks in Syria last week. Message to the Turks
(Photo: Abdulaziz Ketaz/ AFP)
He added that Ankara shares Washington’s and Moscow’s commitment to Syria’s territorial integrity, but argued that Israel’s strikes there are undermining efforts to combat ISIS.
Last week, Israeli airstrikes targeted several military sites in Syria, including the T4 airbase near Palmyra. Reports indicated those strikes came shortly after Turkish officials visited the bases as Ankara considered deploying forces there.
Amid peak tensions, Israeli and Turkish representatives met Wednesday in Azerbaijan—an ally of both countries—for what were described as “technical” talks. The discussions reportedly focused on establishing a de-escalation mechanism to prevent misunderstandings in Syria, akin to a “red phone” hotline.
Following the talks, an Israeli official said: “Israel made it unequivocally clear that any change to the deployment of foreign forces in Syria—particularly the establishment of Turkish bases in the Palmyra area—crosses a red line and would be seen as a serious escalation.”