Syria warns Israel poses ‘the greatest threat’ to Middle East stability
UNSC meeting on Syria turned into a heated debate between Israel and Turkiye over troops in Syrian territory.
The United Nations Security Council’s monthly meeting on Syria’s post-Assad transition has seen Syria, Israel and Turkiye trade accusations over who can rightfully have a military presence on Syrian soil.
Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ibrahim Olabi, told council members on Thursday that he had hoped to focus on the country’s progress but was compelled to address Israel’s actions in Syria, according to a UN summary of the meeting.
“Israel penetrated our villages, displaced our people, bombed our facilities while we chose to spare the region further suffering,” he said, accusing Israel of responding to mediation efforts and dialogue with “air strikes, incursions and violations”.
“If Israel’s tiny defensive buffer is considered a threat to Syrian stability, then what about a foreign power that controls a much larger portion of Syrian territory and is building its military presence there? I am talking about Turkiye,” he said.