No signs of reconciliation between Damascus and Ankara

For the first time in over thirteen years, Turkey was invited to participate in a meeting of the Arab League. On Monday in Cairo, the foreign ministers of the regional organization gathered to discuss, among other topics, the situation in Gaza, where Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan delivered a speech with significant regional implications.

Addressing his Arab counterparts, Fidan called for unity against Israel, accusing "those who continue to support [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu of being complicit in the ongoing genocide" in the Palestinian enclave.

However, Ankara's return to the Arab League was overshadowed by a diplomatic snub reminiscent of past foreign policy tensions. 

The Syrian delegation walked out of the room during Fidan's speech. Led by Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, the Syrian team present in Cairo stood up and left the room just as Fidan’s address was announced, only to return once he had finished speaking.

Syria, which rejoined the Arab League in May under the patronage of Saudi Arabia, appeared to have given the green light to Turkey's participation in the summit, possibly to send a message of disapproval.

Reconciliation Between Turkey and Syria Remains Elusive

Reconciliation between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains elusive after more than a decade of rivalry and proxy conflicts. Despite recent signs of a potential rapprochement, encouraged mainly by Russia, tangible progress has yet to be achieved.

Several contentious issues remain unresolved, including the presence of Turkish troops in northern Syria, the complex question of refugee repatriation, and the future of Kurdish forces in the northeast. 

While Ankara is said to have pressured the Syrian opposition groups it supports to avoid obstructing a reconciliation with the Assad regime, the withdrawal of Turkish forces is considered a crucial condition for any normalization, according to the Syrian foreign minister.

As Turkey seeks to reassert itself within the community of Muslim-majority countries, its relationship with Syria remains a major stumbling block. Despite the renewed dialogue, the path to reconciliation is fraught with challenges, reflecting the broader complexities of regional diplomacy in the Middle East.