Israel holds security meeting on Türkiye’s growing influence in Middle East

Israeli officials convened a high-level security meeting to discuss Türkiye’s increasing influence in the Middle East and its potential implications for Israel, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The meeting, held on Jan. 8, included Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi, and senior officials from Israel’s defense and foreign ministries.

Discussions reportedly centered on assessing whether Türkiye’s expanding regional role could alter the threat landscape for Israel.

Israel’s concern over Türkiye’s growing presence in the region

The meeting was reportedly held to assess Türkiye’s growing influence in the Middle East and whether this has led to “any change in the threat level” toward Israel.

An Israeli official stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also expected to hold a meeting in the coming days regarding Türkiye’s increasing regional influence.

In its latest report on the defense budget and security strategy, the Nagel Committee, established under Netanyahu’s directive, suggested that the Tel Aviv administration should be prepared for a “possible war” with Türkiye.

Nagel Committee report

Earlier this week, the Nagel Committee presented a report to Netanyahu and Katz, warning of potential conflicts with Türkiye.

The report mentioned that Türkiye’s involvement in Syria and its influence over a potential new regime could result in significant friction, with the potential for these tensions to escalate beyond the Syrian context.

The committee cautioned that this growing presence could lead to heightened tensions, possibly escalating into direct war.

“The threat from Syria could evolve into something even more dangerous than the Iranian threat,” the report stated, adding that so-called Turkish-backed factions in Syria could act as proxies, creating new regional instability,” the committee said.

For decades, Israel has been occupying territories in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria, defying United Nations resolutions demanding a return to its pre-1967 borders.

Netanyahu to convene further discussions

Netanyahu is expected to lead a separate meeting in the coming days to further analyze Türkiye’s growing regional influence.

Israeli officials indicated that discussions would focus on Türkiye’s strategic posture and its potential impact on Israel’s security and foreign policy.