Syria Condemns Israel as Greatest Regional Threat Amid UN Security Council Row

Accusations flew back and forth at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday as Syria, Israel, and Turkey clashed over the legitimacy of their respective military footprints in Syria. The monthly briefing on the country’s post-Assad transition escalated into a sharp diplomatic dispute, with Damascus directly accusing Jerusalem of endangering regional stability.

Ibrahim Olabi, Syria’s permanent representative to the UN, stated that he had intended to concentrate the session on the nation’s developmental progress. However, he said he felt compelled to address Israel’s ongoing military actions. He criticized Israeli operations in Syrian villages, which he claimed resulted in civilian displacement and damage to infrastructure, noting that Damascus had previously sought to avoid further regional escalation.

“Israel penetrated our villages, displaced our people, bombed our facilities while we chose to spare the region further suffering,” Olabi told council members. He characterized Israeli responses to diplomatic dialogue as a series of airstrikes and incursions, labeling such aggression as “the greatest threat facing the stability of the entire region, not just Syria.”

Olabi highlighted an emergency declaration issued by 44 nations outside the chamber, which condemned a September 9 visit by Israeli leadership to Jabal al-Sheikh within Syrian territory. The declaration described the move as a blatant violation of international law.

In response, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon sought to downplay his country’s presence and redirect scrutiny toward Ankara. Citing a UN report, Danon warned that Turkey intended to expand its military capabilities and effectively take control of Syrian land.

“If Israel’s tiny defensive buffer is considered a threat to Syrian stability, then what about a foreign power that controls a much larger portion of Syrian territory and is building its military presence there? I am talking about Turkiye,” Danon said. He asserted that Turkey maintains 20,000 troops and more than 100 bases across 5 percent of Syrian territory—area he described as 50 times larger than Israel’s security zones—and accused Ankara of adopting the same proxy tactics previously used by Iran.

Turkish Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz firmly rejected these allegations, stating that Turkish forces are stationed in Syria with the explicit invitation of the government in Damascus. He accused Israel of attempting to smear Turkey’s legitimate cooperation with Syria to justify its own breaches of international law.

Yildiz characterized Israel’s actions as reckless attacks and incursions, calling on Jerusalem to de-escalate tensions and withdraw its forces. The Turkish diplomat joined Olabi and Danon in criticizing the tone of the debate.

Olabi expressed frustration that the session had devolved into discussions about proxy conflicts, a dynamic he associated with the previous Assad regime era. “Syria’s meetings should not be talking about proxy issues any more. That was the case during the regime era. It should no longer be the case. It’s frankly traumatising,” he said.