Azerbaijan is mediating between Israel and Turkey to reduce tensions over Syria and prevent military friction between the two countries, Israeli sources said, as the United States pursues a parallel effort to contain the dispute.<\/p>\n
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev<\/a> initiated direct dialogue between Israel and Turkey a year ago, resulting in an operational coordination mechanism intended to prevent the two countries from coming into conflict in Syria.\u00a0<\/p>\n Baku\u2019s latest diplomatic efforts are focused on maintaining communication between the two sides and preventing military miscalculations, including potential incidents involving aircraft, Daily Sabah reported.<\/p>\n A source involved in the discussions said Azerbaijani officials are particularly concerned because both Israel and Turkey are allies of Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n The United States is also seeking to reduce tensions, although Israeli sources described significant distrust of US envoy Tom Barrack, who characterized a recent Israeli strike in Syria as an \u201cunnecessary escalation\u201d<\/a> and claimed Israeli strikes were politically motivated ahead of October elections. The diplomatic efforts come as Israel has raised concerns about an expansion of Turkey\u2019s military presence in Syria.\u00a0<\/p>\n Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned following an Israeli strike that an increased Turkish military footprint in southern Syria would pose a threat to Israeli security and alter the existing regional balance.<\/p>\n