Israel is trying to convince the United States that Syria should remain a weak and decentralized state, and that Russia should be allowed to maintain its military bases there.

Reuters has learned this from four anonymous sources.

The Israelis’ goal is to counter Turkey’s growing influence in Syria.

Israeli officials have told Washington that the new Islamist rulers of Syria, backed by Ankara, pose a threat to Israel’s borders, the sources stated.

The lobbying points to a coordinated Israeli effort to influence U.S. policy at a critical time for Syria, as the Islamists who ousted Bashar al-Assad try to stabilize the fractured state and force Washington to lift sanctions.

According to three U.S. sources and one other person, Israel conveyed its position to senior U.S. officials during meetings in Washington in February and subsequent meetings in Israel.

“Israel’s biggest fear is that Turkey will come in and protect this new Syrian Islamist order, which will then become a base for Hamas and other militants,” explained Aron Lund, a research analyst at the US think tank Century International.

According to sources, the Israeli officials tried to convince American officials that Russia should keep its Mediterranean naval base in Syria’s Tartus province and its Khmeimim air base in Latakia province.

When the Israeli officials presented Russia’s continued presence in a positive light at the meeting with the Americans, some participants were surprised, arguing that NATO member Turkey would be a better guarantor of Israel’s security, two American sources recounted. Israeli officials were “adamant” that this was not the case, the sources reported.

According to the sources, it is unclear to what extent the administration of US President Donald Trump is considering accepting Israel’s proposals.

The new Syrian government has also offered Turkey to deploy military air bases in the country instead of Russia.