Israeli Foreign Minister exchanges criticism with Turkish counterpart over Syria

On August 7, 2026, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar engaged in a sharp diplomatic exchange with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, regarding Israeli military actions in Syria. Fidan had previously accused Israel of destabilizing the region, prompting a firm response from Sa'ar on the X platform.

Sa'ar dismissed the criticism as hypocritical, highlighting that Turkey has occupied approximately 5% of Syrian territory for decades and continues to maintain a military presence in northern Iraq and 36% of Cyprus. In contrast, the Israeli Foreign Minister stated that Israel controls only 0.1% of Syrian land. He defended this presence as a necessary security measure to protect citizens following the alleged violation of the 1974 Israel-Syria Disengagement Agreement by armed groups in December 2024.

Furthermore, the Israeli side accused the Turkish leadership of maintaining an expansionist policy and conducting military operations against Kurdish groups while lecturing others on international law. The exchange underscores the ongoing tensions between the two nations regarding regional sovereignty and security practices.