Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli has said that Israel would eventually wage war against Syria, arguing that both Syria and Türkiye pose “a greater strategic challenge” to Israel than Iran.
"We will wage war on Syria, sooner or later, because it and Türkiye are far more worrying than Iran," Chikli said on Thursday in an interview with Israeli radio station 103FM, affiliated with Maariv newspaper.
His comments came just hours after Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending hostilities across several regional fronts, including Lebanon.
Chikli, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party, has repeatedly criticised regional actors involved in diplomatic efforts to resolve ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
Israel’s fear of emerging regional alignment
The Israeli minister expressed concern over what he described as a "Qatar-Türkiye-Pakistan axis," alleging that the three countries had influenced the emerging agreement between Washington and Tehran.
"The agreement taking shape is worrying, and what worries me least is the rehabilitation of the Iranian economy," Chikli said, referring to the impact of war and years of sanctions on Iran.
He argued that his primary concern was the regional alignment he believes helped shape the deal.
"What we see before our eyes is the rise of a new axis," Chikli said, describing it as "an extremely dangerous radical Sunni axis."
Pakistan and Qatar have played mediation roles in contacts between Washington and Tehran, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, calling it "an important development" for regional peace and stability.
The remarks underscore growing unease among some Israeli officials over shifting regional dynamics as diplomatic efforts gain traction following months of conflict and instability across the Middle East.
