Washington – On Sunday, Tom Barrack, the U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey, issued a statement to correct remarks he made two days earlier that Israel “still” occupies the Golan Heights. Barrack said the language described the territory’s historical status and did not represent a reversal of the policy established by President Donald Trump in 2019, when the United States formally recognized Israeli sovereignty over the area.
Background on the Golan Heights
The Golan Heights, captured by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in 1981, is considered occupied Syrian land by the United Nations and most of the international community. In 2019, President Trump announced a shift in U.S. policy, recognizing Israel’s claim to the territory and breaking with decades of prior U.S. positions.
Barrack’s clarification
During a Friday interview with Lebanese‑Australian entrepreneur Mario Nawfal, Barrack said Israel “still” occupies the Golan, prompting criticism that he was contradicting the Trump administration’s stance. In a follow‑up statement to the Associated Press, Barrack emphasized that his comment was meant to illustrate the historical context of a region “taken by force remains contested for generations,” not to endorse the United Nations’ view that the area is occupied.
“United States policy on the Golan was set by President Trump in 2019 and is unchanged,” Barrack wrote. He added that he was attempting to explain why he does not expect an annexation of Lebanese territory after the recent Israel‑Hezbollah conflict, and to argue that negotiated agreements are more durable than simple territorial maps.
Related regional tensions
In the same interview, Barrack criticized Israel’s airstrike on a northern Syrian airbase earlier last week. Israeli officials said the strike was intended to prevent Turkey from establishing a presence at the base. Defense Minister Israel Katz later defended the operation on X, noting that critics who called the strike “unnecessary and politically motivated” changed their view after the Israeli government cited “clear intelligence” and the recommendation of the Israeli army.
The strikes have highlighted growing friction between Israel and Turkey as Ankara seeks greater influence in post‑Assad Syria. Both Turkey and Syria have denied that Turkish forces were slated to be deployed at the Abu Duhur base.
Political reaction in Washington
Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott responded on X, suggesting Barrack had “forgotten” Trump’s 2019 recognition of Israeli sovereignty. The comment sparked a broader backlash among some U.S. officials who view any suggestion that the Golan remains occupied as contrary to current U.S. policy.
Hezbollah, Iran and the negotiation table
During the same interview, Barrack noted that two key actors were missing from ongoing negotiations between Israel and Lebanon: Hezbollah and Iran. He clarified that his remark was not a proposal to include those groups at the negotiating table, but an observation that weapons supplied and financed by Iran complicate any settlement.
“Hezbollah is a designated foreign terrorist organization. We do not negotiate with it, and nothing I said suggests otherwise,” Barrack told the AP. He also defended his questioning of who would replace Iranian financial support for Shiite communities in southern Lebanon, stating that raising the issue did not confer legitimacy on any party.
Implications
The clarification underscores the sensitivity of U.S. language on the Golan Heights, a region that remains a flashpoint in U.S.–Middle East diplomacy. While the United States maintains its 2019 recognition of Israeli sovereignty, officials continue to navigate complex relationships with Israel, Syria, Turkey, and non‑state actors such as Hezbollah and Iran.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
