WATCH | UNPACKING THE TENSIONS BETWEEN TURKIYE AND ISRAEL

Wed 26 August 2026:

Relations between Israel and Türkiye are undergoing a profound strategic transformation, with the two countries increasingly finding themselves on opposing sides of some of the Middle East’s most consequential geopolitical questions.

From Gaza and the Palestinian cause to Syria and the wider regional balance of power, Ankara’s growing regional ambitions and its increasingly confrontational stance towards Israel are reshaping a relationship that was once characterised by close military and economic cooperation.

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The latest developments point to a broader regional reordering in which Türkiye is seeking to expand its influence while Israel faces a changing strategic environment and new challenges to its regional position.

Recent tensions have particularly centred on competing interests in Syria and Gaza, with Türkiye positioning itself as a strong supporter of Palestinian rights and Israel viewing Ankara’s growing influence with increasing concern.

But what does this changing relationship mean for the wider Middle East—and could the rivalry between Ankara and Tel Aviv become one of the defining geopolitical fault lines of the region? Joining us now to unpack Israel-Türkiye relations, the shifting regional alliances and the implication for Africa is Mariam Jooma Çarikci, a researcher and independent writer on Türkiye and Zionism in Africa.