Türkiye Israel talks,” “Syria deconfliction, and “Azerbaijan mediation,”

In a significant diplomatic development, Türkiye and Israel held their first high-level talks in Azerbaijan this week to discuss ways to avoid a potential military confrontation in Syria.

The meeting, mediated by Azerbaijani officials, signals a cautious thaw in relations between the two regional powers, who have been at odds over Syria, Palestine, and broader Middle Eastern geopolitics.

Background: Rising Tensions in Syria.

Türkiye and Israel have long been on opposing sides in Syria’s protracted conflict.

While Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes against Iranian and Hezbollah targets in Syria.

Türkiye has backed Syrian opposition groups and maintained a military presence in northern Syria to counter Kurdish militias linked to the PKK (a group Ankara designates as terrorist).

Recent months have seen escalating tensions, with Türkiye warning against Israeli operations near its forces in Syria.

Ankara has also been critical of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, further straining bilateral ties.

The Azerbaijan-Mediated Talks: What Was Discussed?

The closed-door meeting, held in Baku, reportedly focused on:

– Preventing accidental clashes between Turkish and Israeli forces in Syria.

– Establishing deconfliction channels to avoid military miscalculations.

– Addressing Iran’s influence in Syria, a shared concern for both nations.

Azerbaijan, which maintains strong ties with both Türkiye (as a close ally) and Israel (a major arms supplier), played a crucial mediating role.

Baku has previously facilitated dialogue between regional rivals, positioning itself as a neutral diplomatic hub.

Azerbaijan, which maintains strong ties with both Türkiye (as a close ally) and Israel (a major arms supplier), played a crucial mediating role.

Baku has previously facilitated dialogue between regional rivals, positioning itself as a neutral diplomatic hub.

Latest Developments: Is a Thaw Possible?

While no major break throughs were announced, the fact that the two sides met directly is noteworthy.

Key recent events include:

– Israel’s continued airstrikes in Syria. targeting Iranian assets, which risk provoking Turkish-backed forces.

– Türkiye’s growing coordination with Russia in Syria, complicating Israel’s strategic calculations.

-Hamas-Israel ceasefire talks. where Türkiye has sought a mediating role, potentially opening avenues for broader dialogue.

What’s Next?

The talks in Azerbaijan may pave the way formal structured communication between Türkiye and Israel, reducing the risk of unintended conflict in Syria

. However, deep-seated disagreements—particularly over Gaza and Palestinian issues—will likely prevent full normalization anytime soon.

For now, both sides seem to recognize the need for pragmatic cooperation in Syria, even as broader geopolitical rivalries persist.

This meeting marks a rare moment of diplomatic engagement between two regional rivals. If sustained, it could help stabilize Syria’s already volatile conflict zones

. However, with multiple external powers involved in Syria, the path to lasting de-escalation remains uncertain.