10-04-2025
Tensions soar as Turkey blocks Israeli flight to Azerbaijan meeting on Syria
ALBAWABA- In a fresh sign of growing strain between Turkey and Israel, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that Turkey refused to allow an Israeli aircraft carrying a high-level delegation en route to Azerbaijan for de-escalation talks with Ankara to cross its airspace.
The plane was instead forced to reroute through Greek and Bulgarian airspace to reach its destination.
Despite this diplomatic snub, Israeli and Turkish officials held a technical meeting in Azerbaijan on Wednesday aimed at establishing a de-confliction mechanism in Syria.
هيئة البث الإسرائيلية: الطائرة الإسرائيلية التي رفضت تركيا عبورها كانت تقل وفدا من المسؤولين الكبار إلى محادثات أذربيجان #الحدث_عاجل — الحدث عاجل (@Alhadath_Brk) April 10, 2025
According to an Israeli official, Tel Aviv clearly warned Turkey during the meeting that any shift in the deployment of foreign forces in Syria, particularly the construction of Turkish bases near Palmyra (Tadmur), is a red line and would be viewed as a serious breach of trust.
The Israeli source reiterated that preventing such developments remains the responsibility of the Syrian government, now led by President Ahmad Al-Shara. "Any action threatening Israel also endangers his rule," the source added. Also Read Ahmed al-Sharaa to visit UAE and Turkey
On its part, Turkey confirmed the meeting but emphasized that these talks are limited to technical coordination and do not indicate any steps toward normalization.
Turkish Defense Ministry sources said the first round of discussions focused on preventing unintended military incidents in Syria, and that efforts will continue to build a de-escalation framework.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan echoed this during an interview with CNN Türk, stating, 'As we carry out certain operations in Syria, we must coordinate to avoid clashes with Israeli aircraft in the region, just as we do with the Americans and Russians.'
