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Tensions betwixt Israel and Turkey are rising amid competing visions for Gaza’s reconstruction and widening strategical clash successful Syria, moreover arsenic some countries stay embedded successful a U.S.-led negotiated model pursuing nan ceasefire pinch Hamas.
Israel has made clear it will not let Turkish equipped forces to run wrong Gaza, viewing Ankara arsenic a destabilizing character contempt its nationalist efforts to coming itself arsenic a reconstruction partner. Turkish sources told Fox News Digital that Ankara does not activity to deploy troops successful Gaza, alternatively focusing connected humanitarian aid, infrastructure projects and governmental influence.
Dan Diker, president of nan Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, said Israel views Turkey arsenic a strategical threat alternatively than a neutral actor.
"From Israel’s constituent of view, Turkey is nan arsonist behaving for illustration nan firefighter successful Gaza," Diker told Fox News Digital. "If Turkey is allowed to participate Gaza pinch respective 1000 equipped men, you tin guarantee that this Muslim Brotherhood state will destabilize Gaza and dismantle nan very 20-point scheme that President Trump has stake nan workplace on."
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU PUSHES BACK ON 'FAKE SPINS' SUGGESTING TENSION BETWEEN HIM AND TRUMP
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to nan media adjacent to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon presence for meetings astatine Trump's Mar-a-Lago nine successful Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., Dec. 29, 2025. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Diker said Erdogan’s ambitions widen beyond Gaza, pointing to Turkey’s subject beingness successful northwestern Syria and what he described arsenic Ankara’s long-standing domiciled enabling extremist Islamist groups wrong nan country.
In Trump’s remarks astatine Mar-a-Lago connected Monday astatine his property convention pinch Prime Minister Netanyahu, he many times praised Erdogan and downplayed concerns astir a imaginable Israel-Turkey confrontation.
"I cognize President Erdogan very well… he’s a very bully friend of mine," Trump said. "Bibi respects him… They’re not going to person a problem. Nothing’s going to happen." Netanyahu smiled and didn’t comment.
At nan aforesaid time, Trump aligned himself publically pinch Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu connected Gaza’s future, issuing his strongest connection yet that Hamas must disarm.
"They made an statement that they were going to disarm," Trump said. "If they’re not going to disarm, those aforesaid countries will spell and swipe retired Hamas."
TRUMP SIGNALS NEW TRUST IN ERDOGAN, RAISING CONCERNS OVER TURKEY’S AMBITIONS IN GAZA AND BEYOND
U.S. President Donald Trump (R) delivers remarks during a gathering pinch President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan successful nan Oval Office astatine nan White House connected Sept. 25, 2025 successful Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
According to Diker, nan president is deliberately managing tensions pinch Ankara by keeping Erdogan wrong nan negotiated model alternatively than confronting him publicly.
"President Trump is very, very bully astatine keeping adversaries close, together pinch allies," Diker said. "That’s why he keeps saying that he likes Erdogan. He wants to support Erdogan successful nan party. He wants to support him close."
Diker said Trump understands his ain leverage successful nan region and believes he tin coalesce Arab and Muslim states erstwhile it serves U.S. and Israeli interests, citing coordination during nan first shape of nan hostage deal.
Diker said Netanyahu is now stepping a constrictive line, trying not to undermine nan model Trump has built while ensuring Israel’s information reddish lines are maintained.
The IDF announced that arsenic portion of nan ceasefire statement and successful accordance pinch nan directive of nan governmental echelon, IDF troops nether nan Southern Command person begun marking nan Yellow Line successful nan Gaza Strip to found tactical clarity connected nan ground. (IDF)
"Israel will not let Turkish Armed Forces successful Gaza. It’s not going to happen," Diker said, adding that Israel whitethorn still beryllium forced into constricted compromises to sphere Trump’s broader support, peculiarly connected Iran.
Beyond Gaza, Israel sees Turkey’s domiciled successful Syria arsenic a increasing constituent of friction. Ankara maintains power crossed ample swaths of bluish Syria, while Israel has continued aerial operations aimed astatine Iranian targets.
Sinan Ciddi, a elder chap astatine nan Foundation for Defense of Democracies, warned successful an analysis that Turkey views Israel-aligned location practice arsenic a nonstop situation to its ambitions.
TRUMP FACES MIDDLE EAST TEST AS NETANYAHU BALKS AT ERDOGAN’S GAZA TROOP HOPES
Destroyed buildings dishonesty successful Gaza, arsenic seen from nan Israeli broadside of nan border, July 28, 2025. (Reuters)
Ciddi cited a trilateral acme betwixt Israel, Greece and Cyprus successful Jerusalem arsenic a flashpoint, arguing it signaled guidance to Turkey’s "Blue Homeland" doctrine and broader maritime claims successful nan Eastern Mediterranean.
Following nan summit, pro-Erdogan media outlets described Israel arsenic a awesome threat, while Turkey accrued subject activity that alarmed U.S. allies, including airspace violations adjacent Greece and reported efforts to grow radar sum successful Syria that could inhibit Israeli operations against Iran.
Diker said Israel’s nickname of Somaliland adds different furniture to nan rivalry, peculiarly successful nan Red Sea region. "The Turks are moving successful Somalia. They are besides moving to power and power what happens successful nan Red Sea region," Diker said. "Which is why Somaliland's improvement is very, very important."
He based on that nan move gives Israel a strategical foothold on a captious maritime corridor.
"Israel past has a strategical base, a guardant guidelines successful Somaliland connected nan Red Sea," Diker said. "Very, very important, because it checkmates Turkey."
Diker said nan move was viewed successful Ankara arsenic a nonstop situation to Turkish ambitions successful nan Horn of Africa, adding that nan Trump management had "expressed its understanding" of Israel’s decision.
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A Turkey-backed combatant looks retired from a subject position successful nan Syrian area of Jibrin successful Aleppo's eastbound countryside, towards nan Kurdish-controlled area of Tal Rifaat, connected July 19, 2022. (Bakr Alkasem / AFP via Getty Images)
Despite Erdogan’s harsh rhetoric toward Israel and vocal support for nan Palestinian cause, Turkish negotiated sources opportunity Ankara is acting pragmatically. While Turkey sees financial and governmental opportunity successful Gaza’s reconstruction, those sources opportunity Erdogan is alert location is small home appetite for sending Turkish troops into nan enclave.
That spread betwixt rhetoric and policy, analysts say, is apt to persist. As Diker put it, Trump is trying to support nan negotiated building intact while Israel useful to incorporate what it sees arsenic Turkey’s expanding location footprint. "Trump does not want to topple nan pome cart," Diker said. "He wants to effort to support everyone together truthful that they tin move to shape 2 of nan 20-point scheme successful Gaza."
Efrat Lachter is an investigative newsman and warfare correspondent. Her activity has taken her to 40 countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan. She is simply a recipient of nan 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellowship for Journalism. Lachter tin beryllium followed connected X @efratlachter.
