The Israeli newspaper Haaretz criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his decision to strike targets in Syria, warning that the escalation could drag Israel into a ‘pointless conflict’ with Türkiye, an Anadolu reportsaid.
“While we were wondering whether, ahead of the election, Benjamin Netanyahu would choose to wage war in Gaza or Lebanon, or perhaps ignite the West Bank, he decided to make a move in northern Syria, expanding a front with Türkiye,” the daily said in an editorial on August 23.
It said Israel’s anti-Türkiye rhetoric in recent months had evolved into an attack on a military airfield in northern Syria on August 18.The paper cited Netanyahu’s claim that the attack allegedly targeted the expansion of the Turkish presence in the region. Ankara and Washington have denied the Israeli claim and accused Netanyahu of acting for electoral reasons.Israeli aircraft carried out eight strikes on the runway of the Abu al-Duhur military airfield in Idlib province, northwestern Syria.Türkiye’s Defence Ministry reportedly confirmed that there was no Turkish military mission at the Abu al-Duhur airbase, either before or during the Israeli attack.
Haaretz cited the warning of Thomas Barrack, the US ambassador to Türkiye, that the Israeli attack ‘could have escalated into a direct military confrontation’ between Israel and Türkiye, hinting that this may have been Israel’s actual objective.