Panorama of week: Unprecedented Israeli move in Syria,  confusing shifts by Turkey’s allies

Arab newspapers published over the past week discussed the situation in southern Syria, Turkey’s relations with its allies, and the war in Ukraine.

Netanyahu “Pushes Deeper” into Southern Syria

The Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper highlighted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s tour in southern Syria, accompanied by senior military, intelligence, and diplomatic officials.

The newspaper described the tour as an unprecedented political and strategic step aimed at assessing military readiness on the northern front and delivering clear security messages, particularly regarding the protection of Druze communities in the area.

These developments come after the failure of negotiations between Tel Aviv and Damascus regarding an Israeli withdrawal from the south. Israel ties the withdrawal to a peace agreement, while Damascus insists on a return to the pre-December 2024 boundaries, amid partial U.S. support and a Russian redeployment in southern Syria.

Confusing Shifts in Turkey’s Relations with Its Allies

Lebanon’s An-Nahar newspaper focused on what it described as “confusing shifts” in Turkey’s relations with its closest allies, after Azerbaijan acquired advanced Israeli “Sea Breaker” missiles — a move that raised broad reservations within Turkish circles. These circles viewed the purchase as a gradual distancing by Baku from exclusive military coordination with Ankara, despite the availability of competing Turkish systems such as the “Atmaca” missile.

The newspaper added that Kazakhstan’s unexpected accession to the “Abraham Accords” further increased pressure on Turkey, which had long considered Kazakhstan a strategic ally within the Organization of Turkic States.

According to An-Nahar, this sequence of developments places Ankara before difficult questions about the form of its regional presence and its ability to maintain traditional balances amid growing convergence between its allies and Israel.

Ukraine War Drains Europe

Meanwhile, Al-Khaleej newspaper focused on the crisis facing Europe in funding the war in Ukraine amid escalating internal challenges.

The paper explained that the European Union is required to secure tens of billions to support Kyiv in the coming years, according to European Commission estimates, while EU states are suffering from high inflation, weak growth, mounting debt, and protests against cuts in social spending.

The newspaper noted that the EU’s options include using frozen Russian assets — an approach supported by several states, including Germany.

It added that securing funding for the war requires major effort, which is currently lacking due to political divisions, intertwined economic and social crises, the rise of populist movements, and pressure from increased military spending. This has led to widespread public protests against reducing social expenditures in favor of financing the war in Ukraine.

ANHA