After Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan: Israel's neighbor considers dramatic move

Syria is considering joining the military alliance 'Makkah' with Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, according to Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shibani. He said discussions are underway but no decision has been made. Joining could create a regional crisis in the event of an Israeli attack.

Syria is considering joining the military alliance 'Makkah', which includes Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, according to Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shibani at a conference of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He said discussions are underway to examine the accession, but no final decision has been made. Syrian accession could create a regional crisis if Israel decides to attack in Syria or if Israeli fighter jets cross Syrian airspace on their way to strike Iran, as Syria could claim a violation of its sovereignty and request assistance from alliance members. The possibility of joining was raised as early as August, when al-Shibani said the decision would be made later. He described Turkey as a key partner in rebuilding Syria, and emphasized that Syrian foreign policy will focus on reconstruction, economic cooperation and strengthening regional ties. Regarding Israel, al-Shibani said it is too early to discuss a strategic agreement with it, and that the top priority is stopping Israeli attacks. The article notes that the headline creates an expectation of an immediate dramatic move, while the body clarifies that these are only preliminary discussions.