Israeli opposition leader urges support for Kurds to avoid Turkish domination in Syria

An Israeli opposition leader has called for Israel to throw its weight behind the Kurds in Syria as a way of preventing "radical Sunni Islam" from dominating the country.

Since the overthrow of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad earlier this month, Israel has been increasingly concerned about who might rise to power in his wake.

Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats - a merger of Meretz and the Labor Party - said Syria ran the risk of Turkey and Sunni Islamists replacing Iran and Shia Islamists as a threat to Israel.

"Israel must be concerned about one basic thing: a Turkish attack against the Kurds in Syria," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"Israel must take the initiative and take advantage of overt and covert channels to support the Kurds. A strong Kurdish territory is security for Israel."

Northeastern Syria, which is controlled by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and their US-backed affiliate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has been under attack by Turkish forces since the ousting of Assad.

Turkey has been in Syria for years, backing a proxy rebel group called the Syrian National Army (SNA), which has been attacking the Kurdish-led forces.

'Seizing' territory

In the south, Israeli warplanes have bombed Syria every day since the fall of Assad on 8 December.

Hundreds of strikes, primarily targeting military sites, have destroyed naval vessels, fighter jets, air defence systems and ammunition depots, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

At the same time, Israeli troops have seized the UN-operated buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights and advanced deeper into Syria’s Quneitra province, pushing to within 25km of Damascus.

Some analysts believe Israel is shoring up its defences to maintain control of the strategic Golan Heights, which it has occupied since 1967. Others fear Israel is using the chaos of the moment to seize and secure additional Syrian territory.

Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed Jolani, said on Saturday that Syria would not enter into a war with Israel.

Sharaa is leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the main rebel force that ousted Assad.

Last week the the People's Defence Units (YPG), a US-backed Kurdish militant group in Syria, told Middle East Eye that they were willing to reach out to HTS to form an inclusive administration in Syria.

“There are some understandings between us and HTS, through the Americans, but we did not reach direct negotiations or discussions yet," said Siyamend Ali, head of the YPG press office.

“Today, we extend our hand to the Damascus government to unite and form a new government that serves all Syrians.”