Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Saturday, August 22, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Saturday, August 22, 2026
FM Sa’ar: Israel has no interest in escalation with Turkey, but we won’t accept Turkish bases in Syria
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleForeign Minister Gideon Sa’ar tells Channel 12’s “Meet the Press” that Israel has “no interest in escalation with Turkey,” amid tensions over a recent IDF strike in Syria due to the alleged deployment of Turkish troops to the base.
“We are committed to preserving the status quo,” Sa’ar says, adding: “We will not accept the establishment of Turkish bases in Syria.”
Sa’ar explains that Israel has taken note of how Iran infiltrated Lebanon and Gaza and says that “We don’t want that same situation with Turkey and Syria.”
He adds that Israel “always prefers” diplomatic solutions, and reiterates that there is no intention to escalate tensions with Turkey.
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