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(https://rumcdn.geoedge.be/f7ae3efe-f9e8-44be-8cf9-3b564afd5f4b/grumi-ip.js)  (https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js)  (https://btloader.com/tag?o=5119785225420800&upapi=true)  (https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id=GTM-T4BJGTM)   (../manifest.json)  (../../images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/Icons/PNG/jp-favicon-16.png)  (../../images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/Icons/PNG/jp-favicon-32.png)  (../../images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/Icons/PNG/jp-favicon-192.png)  (https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/Icons/PNG/jp-favicon-180.png)  (https://fonts.gstatic.com)  (https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js)  Expert: Turkey's NATO combat doctrine poses threat to Israel with Syria presence | The Jerusalem Post      (article-906941.html)                     (Jerusalem Post) (https://www.jpost.com/) (The Jerusalem Post - Israel News) (The Jerusalem Post - Israel News)    (CONFERENCES) (https://www.jpost.com/conferences) CONFERENCES  (ISRAEL NEWS) (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news) ISRAEL NEWS  (WORLD NEWS) (https://www.jpost.com/international) WORLD NEWS  (MIDDLE EAST) (https://www.jpost.com/middle-east) MIDDLE EAST  (BUSINESS & INNOVATION) (https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation) BUSINESS & INNOVATION  (DEFENSE & TECH) (https://defense-and-tech.jpost.com/) DEFENSE & TECH  (OPINION) (https://www.jpost.com/opinion) OPINION  (JP STORE) (https://store.jpost.com/) JP STORE   (https://www.jpost.com/PayWalllogin) Login    (Search) ()           (https://www.jpost.com/PayWalllogin) Login (https://payments.jpost.com/paywall/paywallpersonaldetails) Subscribe    (https://www.jpost.com/magazineprint/digitallibrary) JPOST DIGITAL LIBRARY  (https://www.jpost.com/) HOME PAGE  (https://www.jpost.com/jerusalem-report) THE JERUSALEM REPORT  (https://defense-and-tech.jpost.com/) DEFENSE & TECH  (https://www.jpost.com/tags/education) JPOST HIGHER EDUCATION  (https://www.jpost.com/opinion) OPINION  BUSINESS & INNOVATION      (https://realestate.jpost.com/) REAL ESTATE LISTINGS  (https://www.jpost.com/aliyah) ALIYAH  (https://www.jpost.com/conferences) JERUSALEM POST CONFERENCE  PREMIUM      (https://store.jpost.com/) JP STORE  Categories  ISRAEL NEWS      WORLD NEWS      MIDDLE EAST      (https://www.jpost.com/american-politics) US POLITICS  DIASPORA      (https://www.jpost.com/opinion) OPINION  PODCAST      JUDAISM      (https://www.jpost.com/kabbalah) KABBALAH  CHRISTIAN WORLD      HEALTH & WELLNESS      (https://www.jpost.com/science) SCIENCE  (https://www.jpost.com/law) LAW  ARCHAEOLOGY      (https://www.jpost.com/omg) OMG  (https://www.jpost.com/environment-and-climate-change) ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE  (https://www.jpost.com/food-recipes) FOOD & RECIPES  (https://www.jpost.com/history) HISTORY   (https://www.jpost.com/special-content) SPONSORED CONTENT  (https://www.jpost.com/advertise) ADVERTISE WITH US  (https://www.jpost.com/landedpages/termsofservice.aspx) TERMS OF USE  (https://www.jpost.com/landedpages/privacypolicy.aspx) PRIVACY POLICY  (https://www.jpost.com/contactus) CONTACT US  (https://www.jpost.com/customer-service/cancel-subscription) CANCEL SUBSCRIPTION  (https://www.jpost.com/customer-service) CUSTOMER SERVICE  (https://www.jpost.com/landedpages/aboutus.aspx) ABOUT US       (https://www.jpost.com/) Jerusalem Post /  (https://www.jpost.com/middle-east) Middle East   Turkish presence in Syria poses threat to Israel due to Ankara’s NATO combat doctrine, expert warns "What we saw about a week ago... is essentially a red line, an Israeli declaration that Israel does not want to see any kind of Turkish presence in central Syria," said Dr. Eitan Hai Cohen.  (Share)         (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=https://www.jpost.com/)      Follow us on Google     (Turkish Navy underwater assault (SAT) commandos perform a drill during a Teknofest Blue Homeland event at the Naval Command on August 21, 2026 in Golcuk, Turkey; Illustrative.) (Turkish Navy underwater assault (SAT) commandos perform a drill during a Teknofest Blue Homeland event at the Naval Command on August 21, 2026 in Golcuk, Turkey; Illustrative.)   Turkish Navy underwater assault (SAT) commandos perform a drill during a Teknofest Blue Homeland event at the Naval Command on August 21, 2026 in Golcuk, Turkey; Illustrative. (photo credit: Burak Kara/Getty Images )    By 103FM    AUGUST 29, 2026 09:50   The Turkish military presence in Syria constitutes a significant threat to Israel due to its (https://www.jpost.com/international/article-906852) NATO combat doctrine, expert Dr. Eitan Hai Cohen told 103FM's Prof. Aryeh Eldad and Ron Koffman in an interview on Friday.  Cohen discussed what he described as the strengthening of economic and strategic ties between Ankara and Washington in (https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-906688) Syria and the potential implications for Israel.   According to Cohen, Turkey has become a central strategic player in the region since the fall of the Assad regime and has positioned itself as a mediator between Syria and the United States.  "Turkey began training [Syrian President] Ahmed al-Sharaa. They also approached the US to remove the American sanctions on Syria. What is the reason? To rebuild Syria," he explained.  Cohen said Turkey has a clear economic interest in (https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-906314) Syria’s reconstruction , particularly because of its powerful construction sector.   (Turkish Navy underwater assault (SAT) commandos perform a drill during a Teknofest Blue Homeland event at the Naval Command on August 21, 2026 in Golcuk, Turkey; Illustrative.)  Turkish Navy underwater assault (SAT) commandos perform a drill during a Teknofest Blue Homeland event at the Naval Command on August 21, 2026 in Golcuk, Turkey; Illustrative. (credit: Burak Kara/Getty Images)    "The construction industry in Turkey is very strong," he said. "They built in northern Syria; they are there as an occupying force, that is no secret. They are telling the Americans that we can share the profits together; we can make a lot of money here. The Europeans also support it because they want to get rid of the Syrian refugees."  Turkish takeover of Syrian oil coincided with Chevron deal, Cohen says  He also addressed what he described as a military development in northeastern Syria earlier this year.  "Last January, Syrian regime forces invaded northeastern Syria, the Kurdish region, and took control of the oil wells," said Cohen. "Immediately after the Syrian takeover, what did we see? An American company, Chevron, signed a cooperation agreement with the Syrian state oil company. This says a lot of things."   According to Cohen, these developments could provide the United States with a new type of foothold in Syria.  "For the first time in history, the US can penetrate Syria," Cohen explained. "Until 1918, there was a Turkish presence, then French, then communist, then Russian, then Iranian, and now, Turkey is returning there and telling the US: You were never able to enter Syria, and we can pave the way for you into Syria."   "From an American perspective, there is a matter here of political penetration," he added. "Erdogan is 'paying' (https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-906268) [US President Donald] Trump in cash, and therefore Trump says every other day: He is a strong guy, a good guy and I like him."  Cohen also warned about the expansion of Turkey’s presence in Syria.  "If the US does not intervene, the Turks will continue," he warned. "They signed an agreement with the Syrian regime. They have the entire legal infrastructure. They have the ability to provide weapons, ammunition, including training."  He said Israel must also consider the capabilities of the Turkish military.  "Turkey's way of warfare is not that of some rickety Arab country, but rather NATO's way of warfare," Cohen noted. "We are talking about a very high standard, and we have to think about that."  Cohen also addressed growing tensions between Israel and Turkey and what he described as Washington’s approach to the issue.  "Before this needs to be absorbed in Ankara, it needs to be absorbed in Washington. The US thinks that the friction between Israel and Turkey is only verbal and that it will not lead to physical friction," he said.  Cohen: IDF's Syria strike sought to send message to Turkey  According to Cohen, Israeli strikes in Syria were intended to send a clear message to Ankara.  "What we saw about a week ago with the Israeli bombing, and also last year in April, is essentially a red line, an Israeli declaration that Israel does not want to see any kind of Turkish presence in central Syria," he emphasized. "We do not want to see them in southern Syria, Turkish penetration; we are not interested in seeing this."  He said he hopes the message will also be understood in Washington.  "The US is ignoring this, and I very much hope that after this bombing in the Idlib area, an area of Turkish influence, the Turks are also very surprised that Israel bombed northwestern Syria," he concluded.    The Midnight Dispatch The one email that makes sense of the Middle East. Iran, the Gulf, Syria, Turkey, and whatever moved that day, from The Jerusalem Post, every evening.  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