The Israel-Syria-Turkey triangle has long been shaped by a mix of historical grievances, shifting alliances, and pressing security concerns. Today, the region faces overlapping crises—from the Syrian conflict and its humanitarian toll, to Israel’s evolving regional posture, to Turkey’s delicate balancing between strategic interests and domestic imperatives. This seminar will examine the dynamics driving relations among the three states, focusing on how unresolved disputes intersect with new opportunities for dialogue and resolution. Particular attention will be given to the fault-lines, the influence of external powers, energy and water security, and the role of regional normalization efforts. The central question remains: can pragmatic cooperation overcome entrenched mistrust, or will the region remain locked in cycles of confrontation? The seminar will outline potential scenarios and policy pathways to navigate this volatile triangle toward greater stability.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Kerim Uras graduated from Ankara University, Political Science Faculty, International Relations Department in 1985 and completed his master's degree from Ankara University on Iraq and its Ethnic Structure in 1987. Starting his career in 1985 in the Cyprus Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara, Uras carried out various diplomatic missions abroad, in Germany-Hannover, Cyprus, London, and New York UN, in addition to working at the Cyprus-Greece, Middle East, Europe, and NATO Departments in Capital. He served as Ambassador-designate to Israel while residing in Ankara (due to the Mavi Marmara incident) between 2010 and 2011. Kerim Uras served as Turkish Ambassador to Greece between 2011 and 2016. In Ankara, he served as Chief Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Türkiye and as a Member of the Foreign Policy Board from 2016 to 2018. He served as Turkish Ambassador to Canada between 2018 and 2023 and retired from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kerim Uras has been working as Advisor to the Chairman at Çalık Holding and is Honorary Fellow at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, in NPSIA-MTS as of 2023. He is married with three children.