Key facts
- Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli stated that Israel will eventually go to war with Syria.
- Chikli identified Pakistan, Turkey, and Qatar as a 'radical Sunni axis of evil.'
- He expressed more concern about this emerging alliance than Iran's agreement with the US.
- Chikli suggested Turkey's actions in Syria were creating a 'Turkish protectorate.'
- The minister's remarks come amid rising tensions between Turkey and Israel.
Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli has stated that Israel "will be at war with Syria sooner or later," expressing significant concern over what he described as a "radical Sunni axis of evil" emerging in the Middle East, composed of Pakistan, Turkey, and Qatar. Chikli articulated these views in radio interviews, suggesting this new alliance is more troubling than Iran's recent ceasefire deal with the United States.
Chikli indicated that Pakistan and Turkey's involvement in negotiations between the US and Iran contributed to his perception of this emerging axis. He further characterized Qatar as the "PR arm of the jihadists." The minister also focused on Turkey, branding Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's vision as "extremely dangerous" and suggesting Turkey had established a "Turkish protectorate" in Syria, deeming Turkey and Syria "ten thousand times more concerning than Iran."
These statements follow a period of heightened tensions between Turkey and Israel. Turkish leaders, including President Erdogan and Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci, have recently made strong remarks against Israel's actions in Syria and Lebanon, with Ciftci speaking of the "liberation" of Jerusalem. Chikli's comments echo sentiments from other Israeli politicians, such as Likud lawmaker Ariel Kellner and Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar, who have also referred to Turkey as an "enemy state."