Turkey and Syria Advance Trade Corridor Bypassing Israel Amid Strategic Concerns

For over two decades, Israel has aspired to become a key land bridge connecting Asia and Europe through the IMEC economic corridor, linking the Gulf to the Mediterranean via Israel. This vision includes railways connecting the Gulf states to Haifa port, transforming Israel into a global trade hub. However, while Israel has delayed progress amid government changes and ongoing conflict, rival regional powers Turkey, Syria, and Saudi Arabia have accelerated plans for an alternative trade corridor bypassing Israel entirely.

In a rare and urgent letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Transportation Minister Miri Regev warned of a "real strategic risk" as new trade and energy routes rapidly develop around Israel, threatening to exclude it from global trade networks. The competing corridor, promoted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian leader Ahmad al-Sharaa (Al-Julani), aims to connect the Gulf to Turkey through Jordan and Syria, avoiding Israeli territory. This initiative has gained momentum with recent agreements between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordan to develop rail and logistics infrastructure.

The IMEC corridor, endorsed by the US, India, the EU, Saudi Arabia, and others at the 2023 G20 summit, seeks to reduce Western dependence on vulnerable maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb, and the Suez Canal. Israel’s Haifa port would serve as the Mediterranean gateway. However, the outbreak of war and regional instability have shifted focus, allowing competitors to advance alternatives. Israel’s Ports Company chairman, Hazi Halawani, emphasized the urgency, warning that missing this opportunity would be "a loss for generations." He stressed that the corridor is not only an economic project but also a national security imperative to diversify trade routes.

Experts note that the rivalry is not purely economic but also ideological and geopolitical. Turkey’s opposition to Israel and its influence in Syria drive its push for a corridor through Syrian territory. Saudi Arabia, while supporting IMEC, also pursues its own regional ambitions, balancing relations with the US and China. Egypt promotes a competing corridor linking Red Sea ports to the Mediterranean to protect its Suez Canal revenues.

Israel faces challenges including lack of centralized project management, incomplete infrastructure, and limited border capacity. Behind the scenes, Israeli officials are engaging with US, Emirati, and Jordanian counterparts to secure Israel’s role in the corridor. However, US policies encouraging investment in Syria, including easing sanctions, may inadvertently support the rival route. Israeli officials recognize that only high-level political engagement with Washington can solidify Israel’s position.

Despite geographic and technological advantages, Israel must act swiftly to translate the IMEC vision into reality. Failure to do so risks ceding a major 21st-century trade corridor to regional competitors, reshaping economic and strategic balances in the Middle East.