The Turkey-Israel Proxy War in Syria - with Nadav Eyal
Aug 27, 2026 · 42m
Summary
Dan Senor and guest Nadav Eyal analyze escalating tensions between Israel and Turkey, sparked by an Israeli strike on a Syrian airbase to curb Turkish expansion. They discuss Erdogan’s "New Ottomanism," a new defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and Turkey’s growing influence in Washington. The episode explores whether this signals a new Sunni axis filling the vacuum left by Iran’s decline and the risks of direct conflict.
Topics discussed
Intro, live event announcement, and Syria status quo
Israel strikes Syrian airbase; Turkey-Saudi-Pakistan pact
Sponsor message: Jewish Communal Fund
History of Israel-Turkey relations and Erdogan's Ottomanism
The Abu al-Duhur strike and red lines in Syria
Political motivations behind the publicized strike
Turkey filling the vacuum left by Iran's decline
Analysis of the Turkey-Saudi-Pakistan defense pact
Sponsor message: Jewish Communal Fund
Motivations of the new Sunni axis and diplomatic channels
Erdogan's domestic framing and Israel-Greece ties
Turkey's leverage in Washington vs. US-Israel ties
Turkey's role in Gaza and Israeli election politics
Conclusion and final sponsor message
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