Syria was in danger of becoming a Turkish protectorate, explained Gideon Sa’ar, Israel’s foreign minister. Syria’s leaders would pay a heavy price if they allowed forces hostile to Israel to enter Syria and endanger the Jewish state’s security interests, said Israel Katz, its defence minister.

The two sides have started talks to prevent conflicts between their troops in Syria, amid a growing rivalry for influence in the region.

The two U.S. allies suddenly have differing interests in a neighboring country that just experienced a revolution.