The Israeli press wrote that the Türkiye and Syria policy of the US Ambassador to Ankara and Syria Special Representative Tom Barrack is causing increasing discomfort in the Israeli administration.
According to Ynet, the Tel Aviv administration is concerned about Barrack's possible influence on US President Donald Trump and his approach that sees Turkey as one of the important actors of the regional order.
In Ynet's news, it was stated that Israel's latest attack on the Abu Zuhur Air Base in northwestern Syria made the differences of opinion between Israel and Barrack visible again.
According to the news, Barrack said that the attack on Abu Zuhur Air Base carried a risk of rapidly escalating tension and direct conflict between Türkiye, Syria and Israel.
Arguing that the lack of communication between the parties could lead to miscalculations, Barrack stated that the United States is trying to establish a new coordination mechanism to prevent possible conflicts between Israel, Türkiye and Syria.
The news stated that the discomfort towards Barrack in Israel was not only due to his recent statements.
It was stated that Israeli officials were disturbed by Barrack's assignment of an important role to Turkey and especially President Erdoğan in shaping the regional order.
An Israeli source, who spoke to Ynet and stated that he follows Israel-Türkiye relations closely, argued that Barrack "is seen as a name that supports the interests of Erdogan and the Syrian administration in the USA."
The source claimed that Barrack was not sensitive enough to Israel's security concerns and focused on the short-term diplomatic and economic gains that the United States could achieve from Syria.
TRUST ISSUE BETWEEN NETANYAHU AND BARRACK
According to Ynet's report, it is stated that Netanyahu is also unhappy with Barrack's approach.
It has been reported that some circles in Israel think that Trump's support for Ahmed Shara and Barrack were influential in the rapprochement between Shara and Erdogan.
However, it was stated that there was a difference of opinion within the Israeli administration about how strong Barrack's real influence was on Trump.
While attention is drawn to Barrack's long-standing personal relationship with Trump, some Israeli officials do not agree with the view that this closeness is a direct determinant of the US President's decisions.
TWO DIFFERENT VISIONS FOR SYRIA
Ynet wrote that the main difference of opinion between Barrack and Israel is regarding the future of Syria.
It was stated that Barrack advocated the reintegration of Syria into the regional system, its economic reconstruction, strengthening relations with Türkiye and reducing military tension in the region.
Israel, on the other hand, is concerned that the new Syrian administration will come under the influence of Turkey and that Ankara will establish a permanent military infrastructure in the country.
The news stated that the Tel Aviv administration thinks that Turkey's military presence in Syria may limit Israel's freedom of movement in the region.
ISRAEL-Türkiye CONFLICT IS NOT EXPECTED
According to Ynet, Türkiye is not considered a direct "enemy" in Israel, but an increasingly powerful "rival".
It was stated that Israeli officials sent regular messages to Washington about Turkey's role in the reconstruction of the Syrian army and Ankara's military activities in the region.
Despite this, it was stated that a direct military conflict with Türkiye is not expected in Israel in the short term.
An Israeli source, who is said to be an expert on Israel-Türkiye relations, argued that the USA would not allow a conflict between its two allies and said that such a scenario would be a "disaster" for Washington.
The source also stated that there are direct contact channels between Türkiye and Israel, but these channels may not be effective enough. It was evaluated that Washington wanted the dialogue between the two countries to be carried out under its own coordination.
