Israel is energetically lobbying the United States to keep Syria weak and divided, pushing for ongoing Russian military presence to hold back Turkey’s influence, four sources privy to the conversations said.

Against a backdrop of increased tensions with Turkey over the Gaza war, Israeli officials have transmitted to Washington worries that Syria’s new Islamist regime, supported by Turkey, presents a security threat. Israel’s argument is that Turkey’s entry could transform Syria into a hub for radical movements such as Hamas, sources divulged.

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Israeli officials expressed these concerns in talks with senior US officials in Washington in February, as well as in subsequent meetings in Israel with congressional members. Two sources reported that Israel had also distributed a “white paper” of its position to senior US officials.

Israel has long been suspicious of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group that spearheaded the removal of Bashar al-Assad and previously had connections to al-Qaeda before cutting ties in 2016. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently threatened that Israel would not accept HTS or any associated forces along its borders, calling for southern Syria to be demilitarized.

After Assad was ousted, Israel has struck Syrian military installations and sent soldiers into a UN-supervised demilitarized area. Alarmed at Turkey’s increasingly active role as a patron of Syria’s new leadership, Israel has been encouraging US leaders to encourage Russia’s continued military presence by asserting that Russian bases at Tartus and Latakia are a balance to Turkey.

While some American officials were skeptical of this position implying that Turkey, a member of NATO, would be a more reliable security ally Israeli officials were adamant in their opposition, sources added. As there is uncertainty about US policy toward Syria under President Trump, Israel is preparing to influence Washington’s policy in its interest.