Tel Aviv – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has set up digital platforms in Turkish in light of regional developments. The accounts were opened on the leading social networks X and Telegram in Turkey.
In the first video post, Arye Sharuz Shalicar welcomes viewers in Turkish with the words: “Hello Türkiye, welcome to the official X account of the Israeli Defense Forces. This platform is used to provide reliable real-time updates on developments in the region. Follow us.”
Shalicar is a German-Israeli writer and government official of Iranian-Jewish origin. The former graffiti artist and hip-hop musician served as an official spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces from 2009 to 2017, holding the rank of major. As a reservist, he has been active again as spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces since 7 October 2023.
The cover image of the account shows Israeli soldiers saluting the flags of Turkey and Israel, further emphasizing the platform’s reach to Turkish-speaking audiences.
The account’s cover image shows Israeli soldiers saluting the flags of Turkey and Israel, further emphasizing the platform’s reach to Turkish-speaking audiences.
Turkey’s growing influence in the region
Israel is reportedly lobbying the US to keep Syria weak and decentralized and allow Russia to maintain its military bases there to counter Turkey’s growing influence in the region, Reuters news agency reported.
Turkey’s often-strained relations with Israel have been severely strained by the Gaza war, and Israeli officials have told Washington that the new Syrian strongmen backed by Ankara pose a threat to Israel’s borders, Reuters added.
The lobbying points to a concerted Israeli campaign to influence U.S. policy at a critical time for Syria, as the group that toppled Bashar al-Assad seeks to stabilize the shattered state and persuade Washington to lift punishing sanctions.
Israel conveyed its views to senior U.S. officials at meetings in Washington in February and subsequent meetings in Israel with U.S. congressional representatives, according to three U.S. sources and another person familiar with the contacts.
“Israel’s big fear is that Turkey will step in and protect this new Syrian order, which will then become a base for Hamas and other militant groups,” said Aron Lund, a fellow at U.S. think tank Century International.
Global image of the Israeli military
The IDF Spokesperson Unit, which is responsible for shaping the global image of the Israeli military, has long used social media to communicate with various audiences. Since the establishment of a New Media Desk in 2009, the unit has expanded its presence on 30 platforms and has a dedicated team to manage these channels.
The addition of Turkish to its arsenal of languages underscores the department’s adaptability to geopolitical changes and its commitment to public diplomacy, a role it has played since its founding in 1948.
Analysts believe the timing of the launch coincides with Turkey’s evolving role in the region, particularly following its military and diplomatic maneuvers in Syria.
With Ankara asserting itself as a major player, Israel seems keen to ensure that its viewpoint reaches the Turkish-speaking population directly and bypasses traditional media filters. The move also reflects the IDF’s broader doctrine from 2015, which emphasizes the media as a strategic tool alongside military operations.
With the launch of the new platforms, the IDF Spokesperson will operate accounts in seven languages: Hebrew, English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Persian and Turkish.
Israil Savunma Kuvvetleri’nin resmi X hesabına hoş geldiniz! Bu platform, ISK ile ilgili gelişmeler hakkında güvenilir ve anlık güncellemeler sağlamak amacıyla kullanılacaktır. pic.twitter.com/EknF0c6xno
— IDF Türkçe (@TurkishIDF) March 4, 2025
