Israeli strikes in Syria are threat to stability, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan claims

On Thursday, Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan denounced Israel's military strikes in Syria, stating that such actions pose a significant threat to the nation's stability. He emphasized that the attacks violate Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that the country's stability is a shared concern among regional nations.

Fidan also criticized Israel's actions in Gaza, accusing the government of refusing to pursue peace and labeling the West Bank actions as "acts of terror." He further asserted that Israel is "dragging its feet" on transitioning to the second phase of the Gaza peace deal.

In response, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar accused Turkey of violating Syrian sovereignty, claiming that the country has spent decades doing so while lecturing others on international law. Sa'ar contended that Turkey occupies 5% of Syria and aims to use this territory to undermine Israeli security. In contrast, he stated that Israel only occupies "one-tenth of one percent of Syrian territory" in the form of a buffer zone to safeguard against terror attacks.

Fidan argued that Israel is taking the minimum necessary measures to protect its citizens from attacks, a stance justified given the Turkish leaders' history of violating Syrian sovereignty and their ongoing military campaigns against Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq. Sa'ar countered that Fidan's goal is to prevent Israel from protecting its security, a demand Sa'ar dismissed as unlikely to be fulfilled.