US, Israel dispute Türkiye’s role in the new phase of Gaza talks.
According to the Israeli newspaper Ma’ariv, as negotiations continue to enter the second phase of the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza war, US Ambassador to Turkey and US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barak is scheduled to travel to the occupied territories today (Monday) and meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some of the regime’s senior political and security officials.
The trip comes amid deepening rifts between Washington and Tel Aviv over the future of Gaza, particularly Turkey’s role in the formation of an international stabilization force. Barak is known as the main supporter of Turkey’s presence in this force and believes that Ankara’s military capabilities and regional influence can help stabilize the situation in the Strip.
However, the Israeli regime has called the presence of Turkish forces in Gaza a “red line”. It has strongly opposed this issue due to tense diplomatic relations with Turkey, the country’s support for the Hamas movement, and statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan against the regime since the beginning of the Gaza war.
Israeli officials insist that any future agreement must prioritize Israel’s security needs and prevent the creation of new threats in Gaza. They have accused Barak of ignoring Tel Aviv’s security concerns and have described some of his recent statements, including those about regional governments, as problematic. This criticism has even led to harsh messages being sent to the US government.