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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.
The post Turkey’s Moves in Syria Threaten Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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South Africa Distances Itself From Army Chief’s Pledges of Military, Political Support to Iran
Iranian Major General Amir Hatami and South African General Rudzani Maphwanya meet in Tehran to discuss strengthening military cooperation and strategic ties. Photo: Screenshot
South Africa’s army chief has faced domestic backlash after pledging military and political support to Iran during a recent visit, prompting government officials to distance themselves from his remarks over concerns they could harm Pretoria’s efforts to strengthen ties with the United States.
Members of South Africa’s governing coalition have denounced Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya, chief of the South African National Defense Force (SANDF), for his trip to Tehran earlier this week, describing his remarks as “reckless grandstanding.”
The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s second-largest party in the governing coalition, has called for Maphwanya to be court-martialed for breaking neutrality and violating military law, saying his comments had gone “beyond military-to-military discussions and entered the realm of foreign policy.”
“This reckless grandstanding comes at a time when South Africa’s relations with key democratic partners, especially the United States, are already under severe strain,” DA defense spokesperson Chris Hattingh said in a statement.
“The SANDF’s job is to lead and manage the defense forces, not to act as an unsanctioned political envoy. Allowing our most senior military officer to make partisan foreign policy pronouncements is strategically reckless, diplomatically irresponsible, and economically self-defeating,” he continued.
“South Africa cannot afford to have its international standing further sabotaged by political adventurism from the military’s top brass,” Hattingh said.
Iran and South Africa held high-level military talks earlier this week as both nations seek to deepen cooperation and strengthen their partnership against what officials called “global arrogance and aggressive colonial approaches.”
During a joint press conference with Iranian Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami, Maphwanya called for deeper ties between the two nations, especially in defense cooperation, affirming that “the Republic of South Africa and the Islamic Republic of Iran have common goals.”
“We always stand alongside the oppressed and defenseless people of the world,” the South African general said.
He also criticized Israel over the ongoing war in Gaza, expressed support for the Palestinian people, and told Iranian officials that his visit “conveys a political message” on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration.
However, shortly after Maphwanya’s remarks drew media attention, the South African government moved to distance itself from his comments, with the Foreign Affairs Ministry stating that his comments “do not represent the government’s official foreign policy stance.”
The Defense Department, which described Maphwanya’s comments as “unfortunate,” confirmed that he is now expected to meet with the Minister of Defense and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, upon his return to provide explanations.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, clarified that the president was neither aware of the trip nor had he sanctioned it.
“The visit was ill-advised and more so, the expectation is that the general should have been a lot more circumspect with the comments he makes,” Magwenya told reporters during a press conference on Thursday.
“It is crucial to clarify that the implementation of South Africa’s foreign policy is a function of the presidency,” he continued. “Any statements made by an individual, or a department other than those responsible for foreign policy, should not be misinterpreted as the official position of the South African government.”
Maphwanya’s trip to Iran came after the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI) released a recent report detailing how South Africa’s deepening ties with Tehran have led the country to compromise its democratic foundations and constitutional principles by aligning itself with a regime internationally condemned for terrorism, repression, and human rights abuses.
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Democrat Pete Buttigieg Toughens Stance on Israel, Says He Backs Arms Embargo Following Left-Wing Pressure
Former US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks during an appearance on the “Pod Save America” podcast on Aug. 10, 2025. Photo: Screenshot
Former US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a Democrat considered by many observers to be a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has recalibrated his stance on Israel, moving from cautious language to a far more critical position after facing backlash over recent comments on the popular “Pod Save America” podcast.
In his podcast interview on Sunday, Buttigieg called Israel “a friend” and said the United States should “put your arm around” the country during difficult times. He also sidestepped a direct answer on whether the US should recognize a Palestinian state, describing the question as “profound” but offering little elaboration beyond calls for peace.
That measured approach drew sharp criticism from progressives and foreign policy voices who argued that his words were too vague amid the ongoing war in Gaza and a shifting sentiment within the Democratic party base regarding Israel. Evolving fault lines within the Democratic Party over US policy toward its staunch Middle Eastern ally signal that the issue could loom large in the 2028 presidential primary.
Following Sunday’s interview, US Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) urged Buttigieg to show “moral clarity,” while Ben Rhodes, former White House aide to President Barack Obama, said he was left uncertain where the Cabinet official stood. Social media critics accused Buttigieg of offering platitudes that dodged hard policy commitments.
In a follow-up interview with Politico published on Thursday, Buttigieg took a decidedly tougher line. He said he supports recognizing a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution and ending the decades-long practice of providing military aid to the Jewish state through sweeping, multi-year packages. Instead, he called for a case-by-case review of assistance, while emphasizing the need to stop civilian deaths, release hostages, and ensure unimpeded humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Perhaps most significantly, Buttigieg indicated support for a US arms embargo on Israel, saying he would have signed on to Sen. Bernie Sanders’s recently proposed resolution to prohibit arms sales to the Jewish state.
The shift places Buttigieg closer to the party’s progressive flank on foreign policy, a notable change for a figure often viewed as a bridge between the Democratic establishment and younger, more liberal voters. For a likely 2028 contender, the move reflects both the political risks of appearing out of step with an increasingly skeptical base and the growing influence of voices calling for sharper limits on US support for Israel.
Recent polling shows a generational divide on the issue, with younger Democrats far more likely to back conditioning aid to Israel and recognizing Palestinian statehood.
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Former Algemeiner Correspondent Gidon Ben-Zvi Dies at 51
Gidon Ben-Zvi. Photo: Screenshot
Gidon Ben-Zvi, former Jerusalem Correspondent for The Algemeiner, has died at the age of 51 after a fight with cancer.
Ben-Zvi continued to write op-eds for The Algemeiner even after he left as a correspondent, including in the aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel.
An accomplished writer, Ben-Zvi left Hollywood for Jerusalem in 2009, moving back to Israel after spending 12 years in the United States. From 1994-1997, Gidon served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in an infantry unit.
In addition to writing for The Algemeiner, Ben-Zvi contributed to the Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post, CiF Watch, and blogged at Jerusalem State of Mind.
Ben-Zvi joined HonestReporting as a senior editor in June 2020, becoming an integral part of the editorial department and writing dozens of articles and media critiques for the watchdog group exposing anti-Israel bias. He moved with his family to Haifa at the end of 2022.
Ben-Zvi’s final article for HonestReporting was published in January 2025, before he took a leave of absence for health reasons. HonestReporting said in a newly published obituary that staff believed he would eventually return, noting the positivity and perseverance he exuded. The advocacy group said it learned of Ben-Zvi’s passing late last month.
Ben-Zvi leaves behind his wife, Debbie, and four young children.
All Ben-Zvi’s articles for The Algemeiner can be found here.
May his memory be a blessing.