Analyst: Syria pact entry could make Israeli attack a war on Türkiye

Security analyst Jonathan Regev, speaking on Israel-based i24NEWS, said that if Syria joins the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Israeli operations in Syria could be considered a declaration of war against Türkiye.

Security analyst Jonathan Regev, speaking on Israel-based i24NEWS television, said that if Syria joins the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Israeli operations against Syria could amount to a declaration of war against Türkiye.

Regev said, "What happens if Syria joins the pact and then Israel launches operations in Syria, as it has done many times in the past, not only during the Assad regime but also under the relatively new administration? Would this constitute a declaration of war against Türkiye under the Mecca Agreement? I think the answer is yes."

The comment came as Syria's possible accession to the pact was being discussed. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani announced at the end of October that Damascus was discussing joining the agreement. During President Ahmad al-Sharaa's visit to Riyadh on November 4, the Saudi and Syrian defence ministries signed a cooperation agreement whose contents were not disclosed, along with six development loan agreements totaling more than $403 million. No statement was made during the visit on Syria's accession to the pact.

A bill approving the ratification of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was passed by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye on November 5, with 279 votes in favour and 119 against. Under Article 2 of the agreement, an external armed attack against one party is considered an attack against all parties; the nature and scope of the support to be provided will be determined unanimously by the parties.

President Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after signing the Mecca Agreement on August 7

A new country can join the agreement only with the unanimous approval of the founding states. The deployment of Turkish troops abroad also requires separate authorization from the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye.

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