Turkey is expanding a strategic partnership with Syria focused on reconstruction and stability while condemning ongoing Israeli military strikes in the region.
The shift signals a significant realignment in the Levant. By strengthening ties with Damascus, Turkey aims to counter terrorism and facilitate infrastructure recovery, even as it clashes diplomatically with Israel over the sovereignty of Syrian territory.
Central to this strategy is a formal agreement to establish a High-Level Coordination Council [1]. This body was created to deepen political, economic, and infrastructure cooperation between the two nations [1]. The agreement, reached on Aug. 6, 2026 [1], serves as the foundation for Turkey's efforts to support Syrian stability.
However, Turkey says these efforts are being undermined by external military action. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Israeli attacks in Syria are among the greatest threats to the country's stability. Fidan said these strikes undermine peace efforts in Gaza.
Turkey has called for international intervention to curb the military activity. Yilmaz, the Turkish envoy to Syria, said NATO allies must do more to pressure Israel. This diplomatic push comes as Turkey frames the Israeli military presence and strikes not as targeted operations, but as an occupation that threatens the future of the Syrian state.
While Israel says its strikes target militant groups, Turkey continues to position itself as a primary partner in Syria's reconstruction. This tension has pushed the two nations toward a structural conflict over the governance and security of the region. Efforts to ease these tensions have previously included U.S.-mediated talks held in Jordan, though military activity continues.
“NATO allies must do more to pressure Israel.”
The formation of the High-Level Coordination Council suggests Turkey is moving toward a long-term institutional relationship with the Syrian government to secure its borders and influence reconstruction. By framing Israeli strikes as a threat to this stability, Turkey is attempting to leverage its NATO membership to shift the diplomatic pressure on Israel, effectively linking Syrian sovereignty to broader regional peace efforts.
