Erdogan slams Israel for fueling division in Syria

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on April 11th sharply criticised Israel, accusing it of stoking division in Syria in an attempt to derail what he called the “revolution” that led to the downfall of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad. 

Speaking at a high-profile diplomacy forum in Antalya, Erdogan said Israel was “trying to dynamite the December 8th revolution by stirring up ethnic and religious affiliations and turning minorities in Syria against the government,” as reported by Asharq Al-Awsat. 

Turkey has thrown its weight behind Syria’s new leadership under Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) faction heads the opposition alliance that deposed Assad late 2024.  

Sharaa made his second official trip to Turkey on April 11th, meeting Erdogan on the sidelines of the forum after talks with Qatar’s foreign minister. 

“Israel is turning into a problematic country that directly threatens the stability of the region, especially with its attacks on Lebanon and Syria,” Erdogan warned, reiterating Israel’s actions and its impact on the division in Syria.  

The Turkish leader said the Syrian “revolution” offered an opportunity to bring stability to the region and warned it should not be wasted. 

 The Turkish president’s remarks come as Turkish and Israeli officials hold rare talks in Azerbaijan aimed at easing tensions, especially over Syria.  

Israel has carried out repeated air strikes and cross-border operations in Syria, aiming to push back forces it sees as hostile near its border. 

A Turkish defense ministry source confirmed the first round of technical talks with Israel took place April 9th in Baku, but Turkish officials downplayed expectations.  

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed the discussions did not signify a move toward normalising relations, which remain strained over Israel’s war in Gaza. 

Turkey has suspended all trade with Israel in protest, with Erdogan leveling sharp accusations at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of “genocide” over the military campaign in Gaza launched after Hamas’s deadly October 7th 2023, assault on Israel. 

Erdogan also condemned a recent Israeli airstrike in Gaza that reportedly killed 10 members of the same family in Khan Younis, including seven children. 

“If this is not barbarism, I ask you, what is it?” he asked the forum’s attendees.  

“We will not allow Syria to be dragged into a new vortex of instability.” 

Israel views Sharaa’s forces as extremists and remains wary of Ankara’s growing influence over Syria’s new leadership.  

Despite this, Turkey continues to position itself as a key regional powerbroker in the post-Assad landscape. 

Asharq Al-Awsat. Maghrebi