Consequences of the Regime Change in Syria for Israeli-Turkish Relations
( Pp. 139-147)
More about authors
Alkhajal Mohammed M.M.
postgraduate student
Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin
Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation Kamynin Vladimir D. Dr. Sci. (Hist.), Professor; Professor, Department of Theory and History of International Relations; Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin; Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation
Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin
Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation Kamynin Vladimir D. Dr. Sci. (Hist.), Professor; Professor, Department of Theory and History of International Relations; Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin; Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation
Abstract:
The article examines the consequences of the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024 for the bilateral relations between Turkey Israel. It analyses the transformation of the regional context, in which Ankara and Tel Aviv have shifted from situational partners in containing Iranian influence to direct rivals over the political, military and territorial configuration of post-Assad Syria. Three dimensions of the confrontation are considered: the military-strategic (competition for basing infrastructure and airspace), the political-institutional (opposing models of Syrian statehood) and the normative-ideological (Gaza as a permanent irritant). Drawing on Russian, Turkish, Arab and Western academic literature, the study shows that the Azerbaijani deconfliction mechanism of April 2025 reduces the risk of direct collision but does not eliminate the underlying structural conflict of interests. It is concluded that durable normalisation between Ankara and Tel Aviv is unlikely in the foreseeable future and that the Syrian theatre is emerging as a new axis of Middle Eastern rivalry comparable in weight to the Saudi–Iranian one.
How to Cite:
Alkhajal, M.M.M., Kamynin, V.D. (2026). Consequences of the regime change in Syria for Israeli-Turkish relations. Sociopolitical Sciences, 16(3), 139–147. DOI: 10.33693/2223-0092-2026-16-3-139-147. EDN: TOLBHU
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Kanat K.B. Тurkish-Israel reset: Business as usual? Middle East Policy. 2013. No. 20 (2). Рр. 113–121. DOI: 10.1111/mepo.12024.
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Keywords:
Syria, Turkey, Israel, regional rivalry, post-Assad order, Golan Heights.