Israel lobbies for preserving Russian bases in Syria, and would balance the dreaded Turkey
After the overthrow of Bashar Assad in Syria, the Islamist government supported by Ankara came to power. Israel fears that this group could provide facilities that are unacceptable to him, such as Hamas.
The Israelis submitted their concerns to US representatives in negotiations in Washington and at subsequent meetings with Congress members. They also summarized their attitudes in an intimate document given to some high US officials, informed Reuters.
In this situation, Israel is particularly concerned about Turkey, whose President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long criticized Israeli policy. Erdogan's statements on the creation of an Islamic Alliance against Israel are obvious in Tel Aviv that Ankara will strengthen the influence of Islamist groups in the region, which could lead to new security threats.
Russian military bases as a key factor
Israeli officials seek to convince the United States that leaving Russian military bases in Syria is beneficial for Israeli security. According to them, Russian bases in Tartus and Latakia could act as a counterweight to Turkey, which is a member of NATO, but its policy towards Israel is increasingly confrontational.
Some American officials were surprised by this attitude because they expected Israel to cooperate with Turkey as a US ally. But the Israelis insisted that the Russian presence in Syria is strategically more advantageous for them than the unpredictable steps of Ankara.
Uncertainty in American policy towards Syria
The future of American policy towards Syria is uncertain. The former US administration allegedly considered an offer to alleviate sanctions against the new Syrian leadership in exchange for the closure of Russian military bases, but eventually did not occur. With the advent of the new US government, access to Russia and Syria is expected to change, which causes further tension in the region.
Israeli efforts to influence American policy towards Syria reveal a deeper geopolitical rivalry between Israel, Turkey and Russia. While Israel supports weak and fragmented Syria, other countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, are trying to gradually normalize relations with the new Syrian government.
