Israel must prepare for war with Turkey – govt committee
The Nagel committee recently established by the Israeli government has stated that the country must prepare for a potential war with Turkey. According to The New Arab on January 7th, Israel has warned that Turkey may have ambitions to restore their Ottoman-era influence, causing tension between the two countries.
The committee issued a report, detailing the defense budget and security strategy, in which concerns were raised over Turkey’s aspirations causing future tensions and conflict with Israel.
It has been suggested that conflict may escalate between the countries due to the risk of Syrian factions within Turkey creating potential threats to Israel’s security.
“The threat from Syria could evolve into something even more dangerous than the Iranian threat” the report stated, arguing that Turkish-backed forces may act as proxies.
The report, along with its recommendations, was given to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on January 6th.
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The recommendations suggested in the report included a comprehensive strategy for addressing any future threats Israel may be faced with.
One suggestion is for the defense budget to be increased by up to NIS 15 billion ($4.1 billion) each year over the next five years so the Israeli army is equipped to confront any attacks.
Netanyahu stated “Iran has long been our greatest threat, but new forces are entering the arena, and we must be prepared for the unexpected. This report provides us with a roadmap to secure Israel’s future.”
The report comes after Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s statement on January 6th that Ankara will intervene to prevent any division of Syria.
Alongside this, Israel continues its attacks on Gaza, killing over 45,885 Palestinians as well as launching strikes against Syria and Lebanon.
These attacks have been deemed crimes against humanity by The International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC has also filed applications for warrants of arrest against Netanyahu and former Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant.
The New Arab, Al Jazeera
