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Turkey’s Moves in Syria Threaten Israel
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting in Sochi, Russia September 29, 2021. Sputnik/Vladimir Smirnov/Pool via REUTERS
JNS.org – Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey’s president, is not a likable person. Certainly not outside of Turkey, but also among a great many inside the country. Considered by many a megalomaniac who views himself as the caliph of the Sunni-Muslim world, he seeks to recreate the Ottoman Empire.
Some, like the jihadists who took over Syria with Erdoğan’s equipment, training and cash, look up to him. Though, Bashar Assad’s downfall was, to some degree at least Israel’s doing. The severe blows Israel inflicted upon Hezbollah, and Iranian assets in Syria, provided the jihadists led by Ahmed al-Sharaa (the nom de guerre for Mohammad al-Julani), a path to victory over Assad’s forces.
According to an article published in the Türkiye newspaper on March 17, “Turkey will train the country’s army in two military bases it will establish in Syria.” The paper also reported that “Turkey and Syria will sign a joint defense agreement. According to the agreement, which is expected to be signed soon, Ankara will help Syria if Damascus faces a sudden threat.”
Türkiye also reported the government’s plan to have 50 Turkish Air Force F-16 jetfighters nest inside the new bases to support and protect the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from collapse until a new Syrian air force is established.
Erdoğan has far greater ambitions than to simply train Syrian Sunni rebels.
The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported on a large-scale military mobilization by Turkish forces, along with an extensive deployment of mine engineering teams, in the villages of Mar’anaz, Al-Alqamiyah and Menagh in northern Syria.
Should Erdoğan deploy the F-16 jetfighters in Syria it would threaten Israeli security and hinder Israeli preventive operations inside Syria.
Israel has established a temporary buffer zone on the Syrian slopes of Mount Hermon to protect its citizens in the Golan Heights from jihadist forces. It also seeks to prevent the jihadist butchery of Druze citizens of Syria who have sought Israel’s protection.
Erdoğan warned, ostensibly Israel, that it must withdraw its forces from Syrian territory or it will cause an “unfavorable outcome for everyone.”
It takes a great deal of chutzpah for a character like Erdoğan, who has repeatedly ordered the Turkish army to invade Syrian territory to butcher Kurdish civilians and who holds territory in northern Syria, to warn Israel. Erdoğan plans to take full control of Syria, in his vision of creating a neo-Ottoman empire.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs was quick to respond to the attempted intimidation tactics of Erdoğan, declaring in its statement, “Israel completely rejects the statement of the Turkish president.” The ministry statement further added, “The aggressive imperialist actor in Syria (as well as in Northern Cyprus, Libya and other areas in the Middle East) is Turkey itself, and it is advisable for the Turkish president to avoid unnecessary threats. The State of Israel will continue to act to protect its borders from any threat.”
Back in July 2024, Erdoğan threatened to invade Israel in support of the Palestinians. He said, “We must be very strong so that Israel can’t do these things to Palestine,” and, he said, “Just as we entered [Nagorno-]Karabakh, just as we entered Libya, we might do the same to them. There is nothing we can’t do. We must only be strong.”
Turkey’s president has escalated his attacks on Israel since the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre of more than 1,200 people. He has sought to incite the Sunni-Muslim world against Israel, and according to many in Israel, Erdoğan’s hostility toward Israel has reached a point where many in the Jewish state see a Sunni-Muslim crescent led by Erdoğan just as threatening as the Shiite-Muslim crescent led by Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei.
A Turkish military presence on Syrian territory could present a real threat to the State of Israel.
The Trump administration must consider measures against the megalomaniacal Turkish leader who is unreliable insofar as NATO is concerned. Erdoğan purchased Russian S-400 missile designed to shoot down NATO planes, and Russia provided the Turkish armed forces with advanced weapons capable of covering most of Syria, as well as their old adversary, Greece (also a NATO member) in contravention of NATO rules.
Under Erdoğan, religious minorities in Turkey are also faring badly, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The commission pointed out that Turkish society in recent years has seen a marked increase in incidents of vandalism and violence against religious minorities, primarily Christians. The commission also declared that “Religious minorities in Turkey have expressed concerns that governmental rhetoric and policies contribute to an increasingly hostile environment and implicitly encourage acts of societal aggression and violence.”
With his incompetent handling of the Turkish economy and his avoidance of the difficult tasks required to heal it, Erdoğan seeks “victories” in foreign affairs—including his meddling in Jerusalem’s management of Islamic holy sites.
In September, for instance, Erdoğan accused Israel of targeting the Al-Aqsa Mosque as part of an expansionist Israeli drive. He also urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to convene an emergency summit to discuss the war in Gaza and accused Israel of attacks on Muslims in Jerusalem.
The Trump administration must reconsider providing F-16 jetfighters to Turkey, as well its place in NATO. The United States must also protect the Kurds of northeastern Syria from repeated attacks by the Turkish armed forces.
Turkey, under Erdoğan, is fighting the Syrian Democratic Forces, an ally of the United States and threatening Israel, America’s only reliable ally in the Middle East. It is time for the United States to address Erdoğan’s dangerous megalomania.
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Anti-Israel Agitators Mass Outside Ritchie Torres’ Office, Demand He Resign for ‘Collaboration’ in ‘Gaza Genocide’
US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) speaks during the House Financial Services Committee hearing in Washington, DC, Sept. 30, 2021. Photo: Al Drago/Pool via REUTERS
Anti-Israel protesters flooded outside the office of US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) earlier this week, condemning the congressman for his support of the Jewish state, demanding that he resign from office, and making apparent threats against his life.
“Anti-Israel extremists held a protest outside my office, demanding that I resign from office for the thought crime of supporting both the Jewish People and the Jewish State,” Torres posted on X/Twitter.
In a video accompanying his social media post, the activists could be seen waving Palestinian flags and angrily chanting the slogan “It is right to rebel, Ritchie Torres go to hell!” Another participant in the demonstration was recorded beating an effigy of Torres with a pole.
“My enemies clearly want me dead,” Torres wrote.
Anti-Israel extremists held a protest outside my office, demanding that I resign from office for the thought crime of supporting both the Jewish People and the Jewish State. After careful consideration, their request has been denied.
These extremists are seen using a pole to… pic.twitter.com/wuO6QnlYLg
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) March 31, 2025
An activist, standing in front of Torres’ office, shouted through a megaphone that the demonstrators had assembled to “demand that [Torres] resign for his collaboration with the Gaza genocide and the deportations that he invited to the Bronx.”
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists invaded southern Israel, where they murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages. The Jewish state responded with a defensive military operation aimed at decimating Hamas’s military capabilities and rescuing the hostages.
Anti-Israel activists have largely condemned the Jewish state’s actions as being “genocidal” and a form of “ethnic cleansing.” Pro-Palestinian advocates have also urged US lawmakers to vote in favor of enacting an “arms embargo” against the Jewish state, arguing that the federal government has been complicit in the wanton “murder” of thousands of Palestinian civilians.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has ordered sweeping arrests and detainments of non-citizen anti-Israel activists for participating in destructive demonstrations while allegedly supporting Hamas, the US-designated terrorist organization that has ruled Gaza since 2007. Some of these arrests, particularly of former Columbia University student and permanent resident Mahmoud Khalil, have sparked significant backlash, with critics accusing the White House of undermining free speech rights.
Some critics of Torres allege that the lawmaker’s repeated and consistent condemnation of universities’ handlings of campus antisemitism helped to embolden conservative efforts to crack down on pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
Last year, Torres commended New York University (NYU) for expanding its anti-harassment and non-discrimination policies to protect students who support the existence of Israel. NYU’s revised hate speech policies state that deploying “code words like ‘Zionist’” do not necessarily shield students from violating the university conduct code. The congressman also urged the State University of New York System, Cornell University, the City University of New York, and Columbia University to do the same.
One of the protesters outside Torres’ office denounced the lawmaker as “Zionist scum” and described Israel as “terrorists who kill children.” He stated that Torres has “slandered” activist groups including Student for Justice in Palestine (SJP) as being “pro-Hamas” organizations and accused him of spreading a “baseless accusation” that the group had “advanced knowledge of the events of Oct. 7.”
Shortly before the Oct. 7, 2023, atrocities, after months of silence, an Instagram account belonging to the Columbia University chapter of SJP posted “we’re back!” and instructed followers to “stay tuned.” Many observers have suggested without further evidence that the post indicated that the organization possessed prior knowledge of the planned Oct. 7 terrorist attacks.
Torres, a progressive lawmaker from a heavily liberal and Democratic district, has emerged as a stalwart ally of Israel. Since his arrival in the US Congress, Torres has been highly outspoken against antisemitism, oftentimes criticizing fellow liberals over their alleged unwillingness to combat bigotry against the Jewish community. Torres has criticized efforts to withhold arms from Israel and has repeatedly called for the immediate release of hostages from Gaza.
The post Anti-Israel Agitators Mass Outside Ritchie Torres’ Office, Demand He Resign for ‘Collaboration’ in ‘Gaza Genocide’ first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Expands Military Operation in Gaza
Illustrative: Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in this handout picture released on March 5, 2024. Photo: Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS
Israel announced a major expansion of military operations in Gaza on Wednesday, saying large areas of the enclave would be seized and added to its security zones, accompanied by large-scale evacuations of the population.
In a statement, Defense Minister Israel Katz said evacuations would take place from areas where there was fighting, while urging Gazans to eliminate Hamas and return Israeli hostages as the only way to end the war.
He said the operation would clear out terrorists and infrastructure “and seize large areas that will be added to the security zones of the State of Israel.”
The Israeli military had already issued evacuation warnings to Gazans living in some southern districts and Palestinian radio reported that the area around Rafah was almost completely empty following the evacuation orders.
Katz’s statement did not make clear how much land Israel intended to seize or whether the move represented a permanent annexation of territory.
According to the Israeli rights group Gisha, Israel has already taken control of some 62 square kilometers or around 17 percent of the total area of Gaza, as part of a buffer zone around the edges of the enclave.
At the same time, Israeli leaders have said they plan to facilitate voluntary departure of Palestinians from the enclave, after US President Donald Trump called for it to be permanently evacuated and redeveloped as an economic hub under US control.
Katz’s remarks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated calls for Hamas to disarm and said the application of military pressure was the best way to get back the remaining 59 hostages.
Israeli leaders have been encouraged by signs of protest in Gaza against Hamas, the terrorist group which has controlled the enclave since 2007, and the expanded operation appeared at least partly aimed at increasing civilian pressure on its leaders.
“I call on the residents of Gaza to act now to eliminate Hamas and return all the kidnapped,” Katz said in his statement. “This is the only way to end the war.”
WAR EXPANDS
Israel resumed airstrikes on Gaza last month and sent ground troops back in, after two months of relative calm following the conclusion of a US-backed truce to allow the exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since the resumption of the strikes and Israel has also cut off aid to the enclave, saying much of it was taken by Hamas.
Efforts led by Qatari and Egyptian mediators to get talks aimed at ending the war back on track have so far failed to make progress and the military‘s return to Gaza has fueled protests in Israel by families and supporters of some of the hostages.
As the operation in Gaza has escalated, Israel has also hit targets in southern Lebanon and Syria, with a strike on a Hezbollah commander in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Tuesday.
Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists started the war on Oct. 7, 2023, when they invaded southern Israel, killed 1,200 people, and abducted 215 hostages.
Israel responded with a military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’s ability to rule Gaza and threaten the Jewish state.
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France Holds Rare Defense Cabinet Meeting Over Iran as Tensions With US Mount
Military personnel stand guard at a nuclear facility in the Zardanjan area of Isfahan, Iran, April 19, 2024, in this screengrab taken from video. Photo: WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
French President Emmanuel Macron was convening key ministers and experts on Wednesday to discuss Iran, including its nuclear program, amid growing tensions between Tehran and US President Donald Trump, three diplomatic sources said.
Such a cabinet meeting dedicated to a specific subject is rare and highlights mounting concern among Washington’s European allies that the United States and Israel could launch air strikes on Iran‘s nuclear facilities unless there is a quick negotiated deal on its nuclear program.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reinforced US military capability in the Middle East with more warplanes, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, amid a US bombing campaign against the Houthis who control much of Yemen and are supported by Iran.
A senior European official said European strategists were asking themselves whether the campaign could be a precursor to a US strike on Iran in the coming months.
Trump, who has urged Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to engage immediately in negotiations, threatened Iran on Sunday with bombing and secondary tariffs if it did not come to an agreement over its nuclear program, which Western countries say amounts to weapons development.
The foreign minister of Iran‘s direct adversary Israel will be in Paris on Thursday. Diplomatic sources said ministers from France, Britain, and Germany were hoping to discuss the Iran dossier with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio when they convene in Brussels for a NATO ministerial meeting this week.
Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed temporary limits on Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump also reimposed sweeping US sanctions.
Since then, Iran has far surpassed that deal’s limits on uranium enrichment, producing stocks at a high level of fissile purity, well above what Western powers say is justifiable for a civilian energy program and close to that required for nuclear warheads. Iran denies seeking a nuclear weapon.
France, Britain, and Germany have sought in recent months to raise pressure on Iran in a bid to coax it back into discussions over its nuclear program
They have held several rounds of talks with Iran including at technical level last week, to try to lay the groundwork for some form of agreement.
But the Trump administration has focused initially on a campaign of “maximum pressure,” and the Europeans have found coordination complicated, diplomats say.
The European powers had hoped to convince Iran to begin negotiating new restrictions on its nuclear activities with a view to having a deal by August at the latest.
That would give enough time to set new limits for Iran‘s program and lift sanctions before the 2015 accord expires in October 2025.
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