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Arab World

Senior Israeli Official: Al-Sharaa Is Clearly Our Enemy

Children ride in a truck as they are evacuated due to fears of Israeli army incursions, following a drone attack that reportedly killed at least four people in the area, on the outskirts of the village of Koayiah, southwestern Syria, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
Children ride in a truck as they are evacuated due to fears of Israeli army incursions, following a drone attack that reportedly killed at least four people in the area, on the outskirts of the village of Koayiah, southwestern Syria, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
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Senior Israeli Official: Al-Sharaa Is Clearly Our Enemy

Children ride in a truck as they are evacuated due to fears of Israeli army incursions, following a drone attack that reportedly killed at least four people in the area, on the outskirts of the village of Koayiah, southwestern Syria, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
Children ride in a truck as they are evacuated due to fears of Israeli army incursions, following a drone attack that reportedly killed at least four people in the area, on the outskirts of the village of Koayiah, southwestern Syria, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)

A senior Israeli official warned on Tuesday that the growing understandings between Syria and Türkiye could restrict Israel's operational freedom in Syria.

Regarding Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Haaretz newspaper quoted the senior official as saying, “He is a classic Islamist and clearly our enemy – without a doubt.”

The official added, "This is a strategic asset we must preserve. Türkiye’s goal is to limit Israeli activity in Syria. We have no interest in confrontation, but we won't give up our positions either."

The senior official also addressed the Israeli Army operations in Syria, stating, “We have full backing from the US president.”

Regarding the possibility of Türkiye establishing a base in Syria, he said, “We don't believe Erdogan will be the one to provide the funding.”

Lately, Israeli officials have voiced concerns over reports that Türkiye is considering establishing a military base in Syria.

Israeli security sources said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding security consultations to discuss concerns over Turkish influence in Syria following the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime, and is trying to portray a confrontation with Ankara as inevitable.

The Hebrew website Walla, citing security sources, said Syria is holding contacts with Türkiye regarding the transfer of areas near Palmyra (central Syria) to the Turkish army in exchange for economic and military support for Damascus. This development sparked significant Israeli concerns, the sources said.
They noted that the new Syrian regime is working to restore military bases and enhance missile and defense capabilities in the south, near Israel.

Last Thursday, a Turkish Ministry of Defense source confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat reports about plans to establish a military base in Syria.

The source, who requested anonymity, said Türkiye is evaluating, in line with the new Syrian government's requests, the possibility of setting up a training base to enhance the capabilities of the Syrian military.

This statement was made in response to questions during a weekly press briefing by the Turkish Ministry of Defense, addressing recent reports regarding the potential establishment of a Turkish military base in Palmyra, Homs province, and an airbase at the Menagh Military Airport in Aleppo province.

“All our activities in Syria are coordinated in advance with the relevant parties, and all necessary security measures are taken,” the source added.

Earlier last month, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel will defend itself against any threat from Syria, while vowing the military will continue working to keep southern Syria demilitarized.

“We will ensure that southern Syria remains demilitarized and free of threats, and we will protect the local Druze population - anyone who does harm to them will face out response,” he wrote on his X page.

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Arab World

Paris Urges Baghdad to Avoid Being Dragged in Regional Escalation

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein (R) shake hands as he receives French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (L) upon his arrival for an official visit to Baghdad on February 5, 2026. (AFP)
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein (R) shake hands as he receives French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (L) upon his arrival for an official visit to Baghdad on February 5, 2026. (AFP)
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Paris Urges Baghdad to Avoid Being Dragged in Regional Escalation

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein (R) shake hands as he receives French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (L) upon his arrival for an official visit to Baghdad on February 5, 2026. (AFP)
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein (R) shake hands as he receives French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (L) upon his arrival for an official visit to Baghdad on February 5, 2026. (AFP)

French diplomatic sources said Paris has warned of the risks posed by the involvement of Iraqi armed factions in any potential regional escalation, stressing that Iraq should not be drawn into conflicts that do not serve its national interests at a time of mounting regional tensions.

The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday that the warning was among the messages delivered by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot during his visit to Baghdad on Thursday, where he held talks with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. The trip marked Barrot’s second official visit to Iraq in less than a year.

According to the sources, the French minister underscored that the stability and security achieved in Iraq “with great patience and effort” should not be jeopardized under any circumstances.

He cautioned that the involvement of non-state armed groups in regional confrontations could undermine Iraq’s recovery and threaten the security of both the country and the wider region.

The stance echoed remarks Barrot made to news agencies in Baghdad on Thursday, in which he said France’s priority in the region remains the fight against ISIS and preventing its resurgence.

Any security deterioration, whether in Iraq or in camps and prisons in northeastern Syria, would benefit the group, he warned.

Barrot said France is working with its partners to ensure continued security at these sites, adding that a collapse there “would not serve anyone’s interests.”

He praised Iraq’s efforts to receive detainees linked to ISIS, calling it a crucial step in international efforts to address one of the most sensitive post-conflict files.

For his part, Hussein reiterated Baghdad’s commitment to continued cooperation with the international coalition against terrorism, emphasizing Iraq’s determination to safeguard internal stability and steer clear of regional power struggles.

Iraqi foreign policy is based on balance and building relations with all partners to shield the country from regional tensions, he stressed.

The talks also addressed Iran, amid fears of escalation and its potential repercussions for Iraq.

Barrot urged the need for Tehran to respond to a US proposal for negotiations and to make substantive concessions on its nuclear program, ballistic arsenal, and destabilizing regional activities, while ending repressive policies.

Iraq, he said, must stay out of any regional confrontation.

Paris and Baghdad are also aligned on Syria, supporting a peaceful, inclusive political transition involving all components of Syrian society, alongside continued efforts to combat ISIS and prevent its return to liberated areas, he added.

French sources said Paris’ core message was to shield Iraq from being pulled into any regional escalation and to preserve its stability.

Arab World

Damascus Moves to Implement SDF Deal amid Regional and International Backing

Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces welcome a convoy of the Syrian Ministry of Interior heading to Qamishli in northeastern Syria. (AP)
Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces welcome a convoy of the Syrian Ministry of Interior heading to Qamishli in northeastern Syria. (AP)
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Damascus Moves to Implement SDF Deal amid Regional and International Backing

Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces welcome a convoy of the Syrian Ministry of Interior heading to Qamishli in northeastern Syria. (AP)
Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces welcome a convoy of the Syrian Ministry of Interior heading to Qamishli in northeastern Syria. (AP)

Damascus is pressing ahead with steps to implement its agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the gradual integration of its fighters, redeployment in northeastern Syria, and the return of key facilities to state control.

The deal is receiving regional and international support and is being framed as an opportunity to integrate Syria’s Kurds into state institutions and help build a “new Syria.”

On Friday, a delegation from the Syrian Ministry of Defense was in Hasakah to discuss practical measures for incorporating SDF personnel into the national military, said the ministry’s Media and Communications Directorate.

The move is in line with the agreement announced on Jan. 29 between the Syrian government and the SDF. The accord includes a ceasefire, the gradual integration of Kurdish military and administrative structures into state institutions, and the restoration of government control over vital installations in the province.

Interior Ministry spokesman Nour al-Din al-Baba said the deployment of Internal Security Forces in Qamishli, in northeastern Syria, is proceeding under a clear timeline and operational plan to complete the agreement’s implementation.

This includes taking over and managing strategic facilities such as border crossings, Qamishli International Airport, and oil fields, with the aim of reactivating them “in service of the Syrian people,” he said in statements carried by state television Al-Ikhbariya.

Al-Baba added that the deployment is being carried out “in coordination with the other side in the city,” referring to the SDF, following a similar security deployment in Hasakah.

The agreement is also expected to address the issue of foreign fighters and to integrate the local Kurdish internal security force, known as the Asayish, into the Interior Ministry.

Al-Baba stressed that the ministry welcomes “all Syrian national cadres who serve the people.”

French support

French diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot informed SDF commander Mazloum Abdi that Paris wants to the January 29 agreement implemented “clause by clause” over the long term.

Barrot, who visited Iraq, Syria and Lebanon this week, described the deal as a “historic opportunity” for Syria’s Kurds to take part in building a new Syria alongside other components of society, the sources said.

The FM also discussed developments in Syria with leaders of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, acknowledging their role in securing the ceasefire between Damascus and the SDF and agreeing to maintain close coordination to ensure the agreement’s success.

On Friday, Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani met with Abdi and urged both the Syrian government and SDF to commit to the agreement.

A statement from Barzani’s office said the talks focused on conditions in northeastern Syria and underlined coordination among all parties to safeguard Kurdish rights within the country’s constitutional framework.

Arab World

Axios: US Plans Meeting for Gaza 'Board of Peace' in Washington on Feb 19

Trump and leaders and representatives of the countries participating in the signing of the founding charter of the “Peace Council” in Davos (AFP - Archive)
Trump and leaders and representatives of the countries participating in the signing of the founding charter of the “Peace Council” in Davos (AFP - Archive)
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Axios: US Plans Meeting for Gaza 'Board of Peace' in Washington on Feb 19

Trump and leaders and representatives of the countries participating in the signing of the founding charter of the “Peace Council” in Davos (AFP - Archive)
Trump and leaders and representatives of the countries participating in the signing of the founding charter of the “Peace Council” in Davos (AFP - Archive)

The White House is planning the first leaders meeting for President Donald Trump's so-called "Board of Peace" in relation to Gaza on February 19, Axios reported on Friday, citing a US official and diplomats from four countries that are on the board.

The plans for the meeting, which would also be a fundraising conference for Gaza reconstruction, are in early stages and could still change, Axios reported.

The meeting is planned to be held at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, the report added, noting that Israeli Prime ‌Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‌is scheduled to meet Trump at the ‌White ⁠House on ‌February 18, a day before the planned meeting.

The White House and the US State Department did not respond to requests for comment.

In late January, Trump launched the board that he will chair and which he says will aim to resolve global conflicts, leading to many experts being concerned that such a board could undermine the United Nations, Reuters said.

Governments around ⁠the world have reacted cautiously to Trump's invitation to join that initiative. While some ‌of Washington's Middle Eastern allies have joined, many ‍of its traditional Western allies have ‍thus far stayed away.

A UN Security Council resolution, adopted in ‍mid-November, authorized the board and countries working with it to establish an international stabilization force in Gaza, where a fragile ceasefire began in October under a Trump plan on which Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas signed off.

Under Trump's Gaza plan revealed late last year, the board was meant to supervise Gaza's temporary governance. Trump thereafter said ⁠it would be expanded to tackle global conflicts.

Many rights experts say that Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory's affairs resembled a colonial structure and have criticized the board for not including a Palestinian.

The fragile ceasefire in Gaza has been repeatedly violated, with over 550 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers reported killed since the truce began in October.

Israel's assault on Gaza since late 2023 has killed over 71,000 Palestinians, caused a hunger crisis and internally displaced Gaza's entire population.

Multiple rights experts, scholars and a UN inquiry say it amounts to genocide. Israel calls its actions self-defense after Hamas-led ‌militants killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages in a late 2023 attack.