Former Israeli security chief admits: 'Turkish lions have surrounded us'

Meir Ben-Shabbat, who previously led Israel's National Security Council, placed Türkiye at the center of Tel Aviv's strategic calculations in an interview with Maariv. Arguing that shifts in global power balances and regional realignments have widened Ankara's room for maneuver, Ben-Shabbat said developments in Syria have strengthened Türkiye's hand and pushed its influence far beyond the country's northern regions. "Türkiye's impact in the country has extended far beyond the northern regions, and Turkish lions have surrounded us," the Israeli official said.

Ankara's moves read alongside Blue Homeland vision and Africa outreach

Ben-Shabbat said Türkiye's regional posture cannot be reduced to a single theater, describing its presence in Syria as one piece of a broader equation. Pointing to maritime policies pursued in the Eastern Mediterranean under the Blue Homeland doctrine, its openings across Africa, its trade corridors and its defense industry diplomacy, the Israeli official framed these steps as components of the same strategic framework. According to Ben-Shabbat, the defense partnerships Türkiye has built with actors such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have reinforced Ankara's diplomatic standing on a global scale.

Israeli official keeps Türkiye and Iran in separate categories

Ben-Shabbat stressed that Türkiye's regional positioning must be treated entirely separately from Iran's. He listed Ankara's NATO membership and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's direct diplomacy with US President Donald Trump as factors granting Türkiye a distinct standing. Arguing that this picture makes potential friction more complicated to manage, Ben-Shabbat said Israel must clearly set out its red lines on the Syrian front.

Tel Aviv's focus remains fixed on Ankara

Noting that old balances in the Middle East have given way to new power struggles, Ben-Shabbat said Israel has turned its full attention toward Ankara as maps are redrawn. He stated that Türkiye stands out as a far more visible actor on the ground through its military, political and economic capacity, and that Israel is compelled to account for this reality in its regional planning.