Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday demanded that Israel cease its "aggressive actions" toward neighboring Syria, and withdraw its forces or it will cause "unfavorable outcomes for everyone."
"The aggressive actions of the forces attacking Syrian territory, Israel, in particular, must come to an end as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will cause unfavorable outcomes for everyone," Erdogan said in his address during a group meeting of his Justice and Development Party.
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Benjamin Netanyahu, Ahmad al-Sharaa, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
(Photo: AP/ AFP/ IDF/ Getty Images)
Senior Israeli officials stated last week that Israel will need to maintain a 15-kilometer "security buffer" inside Syrian territory, where the IDF will ensure a presence to prevent forces loyal to the new regime from launching rockets toward the Golan Heights. Additionally, Israel plans to establish a 60-kilometer "zone of influence" within Syria, allowing for intelligence control to monitor and mitigate emerging threats in the area.
The Foreign Ministry said it rejects Erdogan's threats and said in a statement that it would advise the Turkish preident to avoid making such threats and that Israel would continue to protect its borders.
Erdogan also addressed the ongoing negotiations for a hostage release deal and a cease-fire, stating, "With the achievement of a cease-fire in Gaza, where genocide has been ongoing for 15 months, a significant opportunity will arise for lasting peace and stability across the region. We are closely monitoring the cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas and hope to receive positive news soon."
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The Turkish president also stated that Ankara had the power and ability to "crush" all terrorists in Syria, including Islamic State and Kurdish militants while urging all countries to "take their hands off" Syria.
Ankara has said the new Syrian administration must be given an opportunity to address the YPG presence but also threatened to mount a new cross-border operation against the militia based in northeast Syria if its demands are not met.
"Regarding fabricated excuses like Islamic State, these have no convincing side anymore," Erdogan said, referring to the U.S. position that the YPG was a key partner against Islamic State in Syria and that it plays a vital role guarding prison camps where the Islamist militants are kept.
"If there is really a fear of the Islamic State threat in Syria and the region, the biggest power that has the will and power to resolve this issue is Turkey," he said.
"Everyone should take their hands off Syria and we, along with our Syrian siblings, will crush the heads of Islamic State, the YPG, and other terrorist organizations in a short time."