Barak calls for the establishment of a military coordination mechanism to avoid escalation between Israel, Syria and Turkey

In an interview with the Jerusalem Post newspaper, Barak explained that the Turkish forces were not aware of the Israeli planes flying towards the Syrian base, nor of their target, which might have prompted them to send their planes thinking they were under attack. He expressed his relief that there were no casualties or escalation of the situation, but he stressed that the absence of reliable communication channels may make the situation much worse, which requires urgent change.

The strike, which carried out eight air strikes on a runway and storage facilities at the base located 70 kilometers east of the Turkish border, came after Israel said Syria was on the verge of violating the “status quo agreed upon on security matters” by allowing Turkish forces to be stationed at the base, despite repeated Israeli warnings that such a deployment would pose a threat to its security.

In this context, Barak revealed that calm discussions are currently taking place with all concerned parties to relaunch a coordination cell between Israel and Syria, with the possibility of inviting Turkey to participate directly or indirectly, with the aim of establishing a permanent communication mechanism that works around the clock in multiple languages, to avoid any misunderstanding that might lead to uncalculated escalation, stressing that diplomatic discourse is the best way to prevent military interactions.

Barak indicated that the absence of reliable communication channels creates unnecessary risks, and that there is no fundamental obstacle preventing the parties from maintaining open lines of communication, praising the tangible progress achieved in previous rounds of talks between the Syrian government and Israeli officials, which discussed a border agreement, normalization, and a coordination mechanism based in Jordan, and expressing his hope that these talks will resume at the earliest opportunity.

Barak said that Syria has proven itself as a responsible and stable sovereign neighbor, and that a de-escalation arrangement would contribute to greater calm and predictability in the region, but he pointed out that Israeli fears of deploying Turkish military equipment in Syrian bases close to the border are still a sticking point, especially after the deployment of an advanced Turkish radar system at Damascus International Airport, which Israel considers a threat to its air capabilities.

Barak stressed that the immediate priority of the United States is to help reduce tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem and prevent any unintended escalation, calling on all parties to work patiently towards a permanent solution, stressing that President Trump’s plan offers a viable path that can succeed if given the necessary space and support.