Syria accuses Israel of greatest regional threat amid UN council debate
At a UN Security Council meeting on Syria’s post-Assad transition, Syria’s envoy warned that Israeli actions in Syrian territory pose the biggest danger to regional stability.
The United Nations Security Council’s regular meeting on Syria’s transition turned into a dispute over foreign military presence after Syria’s permanent representative, Ibrahim Olabi, raised allegations against Israel. Olabi described Israeli incursions, bombings and village penetrations as the most serious threat to the Middle East’s stability, referencing a joint emergency statement by 44 countries that condemned an Israeli visit to Jabal al-Sheikh as a breach of international law.
Israeli ambassador Danny Danon downplayed Israel’s footprint and redirected the focus to Turkiye, arguing that Turkey’s 20,000 troops and over 100 bases in Syria constitute a far larger destabilising force. Turkish ambassador Ahmet Yildiz countered, insisting Turkish forces are there with Damascus’ consent and accusing Israel of reckless attacks. The Syrian envoy expressed frustration that the council debate was being reduced to proxy-issue arguments, calling the focus “traumatising.”
Why it matters
The exchange highlights escalating tensions over foreign troops in Syria, affecting regional security and diplomatic relations.
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