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What Impact Will Egyptian-Turkish Rapprochement Have on Resolving Regional Crises?

Sisi and Erdogan stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. (Egyptian Presidency)
Sisi and Erdogan stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. (Egyptian Presidency)
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What Impact Will Egyptian-Turkish Rapprochement Have on Resolving Regional Crises?

Sisi and Erdogan stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. (Egyptian Presidency)
Sisi and Erdogan stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s visit to Türkiye and his meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised questions about the potential impact of Egyptian-Turkish rapprochement on resolving regional crises, especially after discussions by the joint Strategic Cooperation Council focused on the situation in six Arab nations.

Experts suggest that the alignment between Cairo and Ankara on certain regional crises could lead to a significant shift toward resolving these issues. They emphasized that the Egyptian-Turkish approach could break through in several regional files.

Sisi visited Ankara on Wednesday, following an invitation from Erdogan during his trip to Cairo in February. The Egyptian president described the visit as reflecting a shared will to start a new phase of friendship and cooperation between his country and Türkiye given their pivotal roles in their regional and international surroundings.

The discussions between Sisi and Erdogan highlighted a convergence in views on regional issues, especially the situation in Gaza and Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights.

Additionally, the Strategic Cooperation Council meeting, chaired by the two presidents, addressed cooperation between their countries on six files and Arab issues, including the situation in Gaza, the war in Sudan, tensions in Somalia, and the conditions in Libya, Syria, and Iraq, according to a joint statement issued after the meeting.

Taha Ouda, a researcher in international relations in Ankara, pointed to the significance of the shared positions between Egypt and Türkiye on Gaza, Sudan, and Libya. He predicted that the coming period would witness major shifts in the foreign policies of both countries over regional crises. He also noted that the exchange of visits between Sisi and Erdogan signifies a new era of political and economic cooperation between their countries.

Dr. Tarek Fahmy, a professor of political science at Cairo University, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Egyptian-Turkish approach will likely lead to breakthroughs in several regional files.

He explained that both countries are driven to achieve mutual interests and coordinate efforts to serve their respective priorities. He viewed the normalization of relations between Cairo and Ankara as a crucial step in light of regional developments.

Egyptian and Turkish officials are seen at the Strategic Cooperation Council meeting. (Egyptian Presidency)

During a joint press conference with Erdogan, Sisi emphasized the unified stance of Egypt and Türkiye in calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and rejecting Israel’s current escalation in the West Bank.

They also called for a pathway that fulfills the aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state according to the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with relevant international resolutions.

Fahmy further pointed out that elevating relations between Cairo and Ankara to a revived strategic dialogue will lead to a qualitative shift in addressing regional crises, including cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the situation in Libya and the Horn of Africa.

He emphasized the coordination mechanism between the two countries, with Egypt playing a mediating role in the Syrian conflict, where Türkiye is involved, in exchange for Türkiye’s mediation in the Nile Basin issue and efforts to resolve tensions in the Red Sea.

The two presidents agreed on consultations to achieve security and political stability in Libya, stressing the importance of ending the prolonged crisis by holding simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections, removing illegal foreign forces and mercenaries, and dismantling armed militias, allowing Libya to overcome its divisions and restore security and stability, said the Strategic Cooperation Council declaration.

The talks also addressed the crisis in Sudan and Egypt’s efforts, in cooperation with various parties, to secure a ceasefire and promote a political solution. Regarding the Horn of Africa, Sisi and Erdogan agreed on the need to preserve Somalia’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity against challenges.

Former Assistant Egyptian Foreign Minister Ambassador Gamal Bayoumi noted that economic and investment cooperation takes priority over coordination on regional issues. He stressed that energy and gas cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean would be among the first areas of collaboration between Egypt and Türkiye.

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Sweida Emerges as First Big Test for Syria’s New Era

An aerial view shows smoke rising over Sweida during clashes between Druze and Bedouin tribes, July 19, 2025. (DPA)
An aerial view shows smoke rising over Sweida during clashes between Druze and Bedouin tribes, July 19, 2025. (DPA)
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Sweida Emerges as First Big Test for Syria’s New Era

An aerial view shows smoke rising over Sweida during clashes between Druze and Bedouin tribes, July 19, 2025. (DPA)
An aerial view shows smoke rising over Sweida during clashes between Druze and Bedouin tribes, July 19, 2025. (DPA)

In late July, the spiritual leadership of Syria’s Druze minority in Sweida announced the creation of legal and security committees to run the southern province, a dramatic step that underscored its deepening rift with Damascus and the fragile hold of the country’s new rulers.

The move came after days of deadly clashes in mid-July, marking a turning point for a province that for more than a decade had remained on the margins of Syria’s war. It has now emerged at the center of a struggle that will test President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s efforts to unify the country after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Damascus said its security forces had intervened only to end fighting between Druze and Bedouin tribes. Druze leaders accused the state of trying to reassert control through tribal allies – a claim they said was backed by documents in their possession.

The clashes left dozens dead and brought government troops into Sweida city. But their presence was short-lived: after Israeli airstrikes struck what appeared to be Syrian army positions on the outskirts, Damascus ordered its forces to withdraw. The pullback created a vacuum Druze leaders say they were forced to fill.

Sweida, home to Syria’s majority-Druze community, has long been distinct in the country’s sectarian mosaic. The Druze, who number fewer than 1 million across Syria, Lebanon and Israel, have historically pursued autonomy and avoided entanglement in wider conflicts.

During Syria’s 13-year war, Sweida largely stayed out of direct combat. Local communities resisted conscription into Assad’s army, and the province preserved a degree of autonomy with its own armed groups maintaining order.

That balance fractured last month. Violence between Druze gunmen and Bedouin tribes spiraled, with Damascus portraying its forces as neutral peacekeepers, and Druze leaders insisting the state had tried to impose its authority by force.

The government’s retreat after Israeli airstrikes reinforced local perceptions that the province was left exposed. For Druze leaders, the episode highlighted the need to build their own administrative structures.

Druze Leadership Realigned

The crisis reshaped internal dynamics within the Druze clergy. For years, the leadership was split: Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri opposed Damascus, while Hammoud al-Hanawi and Youssef Jarboua maintained channels with the state.

In July, that divide closed. Both Hanawi and Jarboua issued statements condemning the government’s conduct and urging international investigations. Hijri followed with a video demanding accountability, calling for an international probe and accusing the state of backing armed factions against Sweida. He went further by publicly thanking Israel for its support.

The alignment of all three authorities marked an unprecedented rupture between Sweida’s Druze and Damascus, turning a once-divided leadership into a united front.

Committees Fill the Vacuum

The withdrawal of state institutions and forces left Sweida’s leadership to create its own mechanisms.

Safaa Joudieh, spokeswoman for the newly formed legal committee, said the bodies were established in response to what she described as the “systematic destruction of infrastructure, power and water cuts, and a blockade of food and medicine.”

“These committees are tasked with running services and easing people’s suffering,” she said. “They are temporary, civil and humanitarian. They carry no political project at this stage.”

But she made clear that ties with Damascus were severed. “Sweida’s people have endured massacres, arson and a suffocating siege,” she said. “Any talks with the government must begin with compensation and lifting the blockade.”

She added that the initiative had broad local support and that Sweida was open to cooperation with other Syrian entities, including the Kurdish-led administration in the northeast, though alliances of a military or political nature were beyond the committee’s mandate.

Independence Calls

Beyond administrative measures, demands from the street went further. On July 16, thousands gathered in Sweida’s al-Karama Square, with protesters calling for independence from Syria – an unprecedented development.

Some waved Druze flags alongside Israeli ones, images that stirred sharp criticism not only from government supporters but also from opposition figures, who said rejecting Damascus did not justify abandoning the country.

Damascus reacted firmly. In a televised speech, President Sharaa ruled out partition. “Syrians categorically reject any project of division,” he said. “Those who call for it are ignorant dreamers. We brought down Assad’s regime in the battle to liberate Syria. Ahead of us now is the battle to unify it.”

He dismissed secessionist calls as unrealistic, saying no party in Syria possessed the means to impose partition and accusing foreign states of exploiting local grievances.

Damascus Treads Carefully

Despite the escalation, Damascus has avoided an all-out confrontation with Sweida. The government has emphasized unity while taking a measured approach on the ground, apparently seeking to contain rather than inflame the situation.

Mustafa al-Naimeh, a Syrian researcher, said the developments in Sweida amounted to “an attempt to control part of the province outside the authority of the state through armed groups supported by foreign agendas.”

He warned that such moves risked “deepening internal divisions and spreading instability beyond Sweida to areas under the influence of US and Kurdish forces.”

Al-Naimeh added that international conditions were not favorable to secessionist experiments. “Global powers today are focused on sustainable development,” he said, describing projects aimed at fragmentation as “regionally funded and internationally rejected.”

He also argued that Israel was “trying to export its internal crisis by fueling tension in Syria,” and that the rise of armed groups in Sweida had worsened humanitarian conditions by keeping the province outside state authority.

Al-Naimeh said Damascus was pursuing “gradual containment” to defuse the crisis, dismantle armed groups and reintegrate Sweida through political and security channels. He noted that the process would be long but described it as “the most effective path to reduce the cost of bloodshed.”

Features

As Netanyahu Expands Gaza War, Some Reservists Grow More Disillusioned

Reservists and former pilots from the Israel Air Force take part in a protest outside the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel, 12 August 2025. (EPA)
Reservists and former pilots from the Israel Air Force take part in a protest outside the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel, 12 August 2025. (EPA)
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As Netanyahu Expands Gaza War, Some Reservists Grow More Disillusioned

Reservists and former pilots from the Israel Air Force take part in a protest outside the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel, 12 August 2025. (EPA)
Reservists and former pilots from the Israel Air Force take part in a protest outside the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel, 12 August 2025. (EPA)

As Israel seeks to expand its offensive in Gaza, a measure of how the country's mood has changed in the nearly two-year-old conflict is the discontent evident among some reservists being called up to serve once again.

Shortly after the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel by Palestinian group Hamas, Israelis dropped everything -- honeymoons, studies and new lives abroad -- to rush home and fight.

Now, some voice disillusionment with political leaders sending them back into battle, as the military prepares to take control of Gaza City, the enclave's biggest urban center.

According to a study conducted by Agam Labs at the Hebrew University which measured sentiment about the new campaign among more than 300 people serving in the current war, 25.7% of reservists said their motivation had decreased significantly compared with the start of the campaign.

Another 10% said their motivation slightly decreased.

Asked to describe their feelings about the campaign, the biggest group -- 47% -- of responders expressed negative emotions towards the government and its handling of the war and hostage negotiations.

In March, before the latest offensive was announced, the Israeli news outlet Ynet reported that the amount of reservists reporting for duty was 30 percent below the number requested by military commanders.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to destroy Hamas after it attacked Israel in Oct. 7, 2023 in the bloodiest single day for Jews since the Holocaust, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

But the war has dragged on, with Hamas still putting up a fight and Israelis condemning their prime minister for failing to reach a deal with the group to win the release of hostages despite many mediation efforts.

'THIS WAR IS ENTIRELY POLITICAL'

Reservists were among thousands of Israelis who took part in a nationwide strike on Sunday, one of the biggest protests in support of families of hostages, calling on Netanyahu to reach an agreement with Hamas to end the war and release the remaining captives.

One of those angry protesters was Roni Zehavi, a reservist pilot who stopped serving out of principle after more than 200 days of service when the last ceasefire fell through.

He said that when reservists were enlisted, they did everything required without saying a word. But then questions such as "where is this going?" started to pop up, he recalled.

Reservists accused the government - the most far-right administration in Israel's history -- of perpetuating the war for political reasons.

"This war is entirely political, it has no goal except to keep Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister," he told Reuters.

"He is willing to do everything necessary, to sacrifice the hostages, fallen soldiers, dead citizens - to do what he needs so that he and his wife will stay in power. It's the tragedy of the state of Israel and it's the reality".

Asked for comment about the disenchantment voiced by some reservists, the Israeli military said it sees great importance in the reserve service and each case of absence is examined.

"In this challenging security reality, the contribution of the reservists is essential to the success of missions and to maintaining the security of the country," it said.

The prime minister's office was not immediately available for comment.

Netanyahu has so far resisted calls to establish a state inquiry - in which he could be implicated - into the security failures of the October 7 attack. He has said such an investigation should not be launched as long as the war is still under way. Some of his far-right coalition partners have threatened to bring down the government should the war end without meeting all its stated goals.

When Israel called up 360,000 reservists after the October 7 attack, the largest such compulsory mobilization since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, it received an enthusiastic response.

The mood among some reservists appears different now.

“I will not be part of a system that knows that it will kill the hostages. I'm just not prepared to take that. And I really fear that, to the point where it keeps me up at night," one combat medic told Reuters. He asked not to be identified as he was not authorized to speak.

According to Israel's Channel 12, the military plans to call up 250,000 reservists for the Gaza City offensive.

Israel has lost 898 soldiers and thousands have been wounded in the Gaza war, the country's longest conflict since the 1948 war that accompanied its creation. Its military response to the Hamas attack has killed over 61,000 people in Gaza, including many children, according to Gaza health authorities.

'LACK OF VISION'

Military service is mandatory in Israel, a small nation of fewer than 10 million people, but it relies heavily on reservists in times of crisis. Reserve duty is technically mandatory, though penalties for evasion often depend on the willingness of the direct commander to enforce punishment.

Reuters interviewed 10 Israeli reservists for this story.

Like many other reservists, special forces Sergeant Major A. Kalker concluded that Israel's military and political leadership has failed to formulate a sound day-after plan for the war.

"There's a lack of vision, both in the political and the senior military leadership, a real lack of vision," he said, but added that shouldn't amount to refusing to serve.

"Bibi (Netanyahu) is the king of not making decisions ... like treading water."

Reservist Brigadier General Roi Alkabetz told Reuters that the military and Israel's Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir had transitioned to using the reservists in a "measured way", because Zamir understood the hardship for reservists and had put much of the hard work on soldiers in mandatory service.

"He's doing it in a logical way," Alkabetz said. "The reservists will come."

Features

Takeaways from Trump’s Meeting with Zelenskyy and Europeans: Praise, Security Talks, More Meetings 

United States President Donald J Trump (R) meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 18 August 2025. (EPA)
United States President Donald J Trump (R) meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 18 August 2025. (EPA)
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Takeaways from Trump’s Meeting with Zelenskyy and Europeans: Praise, Security Talks, More Meetings 

United States President Donald J Trump (R) meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 18 August 2025. (EPA)
United States President Donald J Trump (R) meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 18 August 2025. (EPA)

During their second meeting in the Oval Office this year, President Donald Trump said the US would be willing to support European efforts to police any peace deal in Ukraine, while its leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude and wore dressier clothes.

And Vice President JD Vance kept his mouth shut.

As Trump hosted Zelenskyy and top European leaders to energize months of stalled US-led efforts to halt Russia's 3 1/2-year-old war, the tone and style of the sit-down was far different than when Ukraine's president was hounded out of the White House in February.

Following the talks, Trump called and spoke at length to Russian President Vladimir Putin who got the red carpet treatment at a summit with Trump last Friday in Alaska, to discuss the extraordinary gathering of allies. Trump said he would now work to arrange a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin.

Here are key takeaways:

Trump says the US could back security guarantees for Ukraine A central question for peace talks is how to prevent further Russian aggression in the future.

Trump has ruled out allowing Ukraine to join NATO, which would extend the military alliance’s protection to the besieged country. He did, however, express support for security guarantees for Ukraine though details remain vague.

European countries “want to give protection and they feel very strongly about it and we’ll help them out with that,” Trump said.

That pleased Zelenskyy, who said the US was offering "such (a) strong signal.”

With Europeans looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement in Ukraine, Trump suggested that Putin would be open to accepting security guarantees. His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Sunday that Moscow was open to accepting NATO-style protections for Ukraine.

European leaders applauded that notion, and the larger meaning it would carry.

“When we speak about security guarantees, we speak about the whole security of the European continent," French President Emmanuel Macron said.

Macron said talks to determine what the US is willing to provide will start as soon as Tuesday.

European leaders praise Trump but say tough work is still ahead The Europeans came to show a united front on Ukraine, and many used public comments to heap praise on Trump. That was striking given tensions over Trump’s threats to impose steep tariffs and other issues.

Ahead of their meeting, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called Trump “dear Donald” and said of fighting in Ukraine: “If we play this well, we could end it.” In an interview later with Fox News Channel, Rutte called Trump “amazing” and said potential swaps of Ukrainian territory weren’t discussed.

“First, we need full clarity on security guidelines,” Rutte said. Though Ukraine might not have NATO membership, he noted, there would be discussions for security guarantees similar to those extended to members of the alliance.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said after the meeting that there was “real progress” and a “real sense of unity.”

Before the leaders spoke privately at the White House, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said all the parties were working together on “a just and lasting peace.”

Offering a more measured tone was German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said “the path is open now” to halting the fighting but next steps are “more complicated.”

“Let’s try to put pressure on Russia,” Merz said, adding that he would like to see a ceasefire come together.

Trump was noncommittal, saying, “If we can do the ceasefire, great,” but suggested it was far from a dealbreaker. He dropped his push for a ceasefire after Friday's summit, aligning with Putin’s position that negotiations should focus on a long-term peace settlement instead.

The good feelings extended to Zelenskyy and Trump. After Ukraine’s leader praised the “very good conversation” with Trump, the US president responded, “Great remarks. I appreciated it.”

Speaking to reporters Monday night, Merz said the Russian demand that Ukraine give up unconquered parts of its eastern Donbas region to end the fighting would be equivalent to the US giving up Florida.

More formal attire — and a far different reception — for Zelenskyy The meeting with Trump in the Oval Office on Monday was dramatically different than six months ago, when Trump and Vance harangued Zelenskyy for not being thankful enough for US military support.

Trump even seemed to relish a reporter from a conservative outlet asking then why Zelenskyy wasn’t wearing a suit at the White House.

Ukraine's leader came prepared this time, wearing a black shirt and blazer. The same reporter told Zelenskyy, “You look fabulous,” and Trump responded, “I said the same thing.”

Then Trump said to Zelenskyy: “That’s the one that attacked you last time.” The Ukrainian president said he remembered, then playfully needled his questioner.

“You are in the same suit,” Zelenskyy said as laughter rippled through the room. “I changed. You did not.”

Ukraine's president usually appears in a trademark hoodie or T-shirt — a show of solidarity with Ukrainian forces on the front lines.

Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude to the US and European allies for supporting his country, and repeatedly thanked first lady Melania Trump for sending a letter to Putin about stopping the killing of children during the war.

In the Oval Office, Vance gave no public comments.

Next steps in the negotiations turn back to Putin Trump, who bragged on numerous occasions during the campaign that he could settle Russia's war in Ukraine in a day, said repeatedly Monday that it was far more complicated than he ever thought it would be.

But he also suggested — likely implausibly — that the fighting that has raged for years could wind down quickly.

“A week or two weeks, we’ll know whether we’re going to solve this, or if this horrible fighting is going to continue,” said Trump, even suggesting the issues yet to be hammered out weren’t “overly complex.”

Still, much remains unresolved, including red lines that are incompatible, like whether Ukraine will cede any land to Russia, the future of Ukraine’s army and whether the country will ultimately have lasting and meaningful security guarantees.

Trump said he had begun arrangements for a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy. But Russian foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said only that Putin and Trump had a 40-minute phone call and “spoke in favor” of continuing direct talks between the sides, Russian state news agency Tass reported.

Outside the White House, Zelenskyy said no date had been set for such a meeting but that the US suggested it be as soon as possible.

“But for that, agreement of all sides is needed,” he said. He added that the question of territory “is a matter that we will leave between me and Putin.”

Though many European leaders oppose forgoing a possible ceasefire on the road to seeking lasting peace, they have supported a meeting by Trump, Zelenskyy and Putin in the meantime. Macron suggested that another summit could feature the three presidents and also top European leaders.

“The idea of trilateral meeting is very important, because this is the only way to fix it,” the French president said.