Newsletters
As ceasefire negotiations continue in Gaza, Türkiye's potential involvement in postwar arrangements has emerged as a source of friction between the United States and Israel, according to a Washington Post report published recently.
The Trump administration has assigned Türkiye a central role in its Gaza peace plan, drawing on Ankara's relationships with Hamas that proved effective during ceasefire negotiations. President Donald Trump has praised Türkiye's diplomatic efforts in securing the truce.
However, Israeli officials view the prospect with alarm, the newspaper reported. Israel regards Türkiye as maintaining close ties with Islamist groups hostile to the Jewish state and considers Ankara a primary rival in the regional struggle for influence across the Middle East.
"The idea of Turks or Turkish-affiliated groups entering Gaza drives Israelis crazy, because until now they have done a lot to prevent such Turkish intervention," Michael Milshtein, former head of the Palestinian affairs unit within Israeli military intelligence, told the Washington Post. "They are not officially enemies, but it is clear that they are not Israel's partner."
Michael Oren, Israel's former ambassador to the United States, expressed similar concerns. "If we finally get rid of Iran and Hezbollah and then find ourselves facing Türkiye, Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood inside Gaza, that would be an extremely dangerous situation," he said.
Israeli politicians and diplomats have mounted an intensive campaign in both private discussions and public statements to block any American plans that would permit a Turkish presence in Gaza, according to the report. Israeli officials have repeatedly emphasized that their objections are shared by "American friends."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the issue Sunday, stating: "It is Israel that will determine which forces are unacceptable to us. Of course, this is also an acceptable situation for the United States." His remarks followed warnings from Israeli security establishments about Türkiye's possible entry into Gaza.
Vice President JD Vance, during a visit to Israel last month, sought to balance competing interests. "We will not force anything on our Israeli friends regarding foreign soldiers on their soil, but we believe there is a constructive role that the Turks can play," Vance said. "Frankly, they have already played a very constructive role, and we are grateful for that."
When questioned about Türkiye's support for Hamas, Vance responded: "The path to peace is through focusing on the future, not the past."
1 min read
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday that plans for establishing a stabilization force in Gaza are "currently under discussion." He confirmed that the Turkish Armed Forces are participating in meetings with counterparts "regarding what will happen, what should happen, and possible military structuring."
The disagreement highlights the complex diplomatic challenges facing the Trump administration as it attempts to broker a lasting settlement in Gaza while managing relations with both Israel and Türkiye, two key regional partners with diverging interests.
2 min read
