According to Israeli media, the Israel Defense Forces has for the first time included Turkey in its annual threat assessment, citing the country’s increasing adventurism across the Middle East and North Africa. In this respect, Ankara last year launched a military incursion into northern Syria to cleanse the region of Kurdish forces it considers terrorists and has deployed troops to Libya in support of the internationally recognized government. Turkey has taken aggressive steps against Israeli allies Cyprus and Greece over a dispute related to competing maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, where massive natural gas deposits have been found. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who regularly accuses Israel of perpetrating war crimes against the Palestinians, is one of Hamas’ foremost backers. He has reportedly allowed members of the terror group, which rules the Gaza Strip to operate freely on Turkish soil, including planning attacks against Israelis located in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Israeli military leaders nevertheless made clear that they do not envision engaging Turkey in a direct confrontation in 2020.
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