A US envoy walks back his comments on Golan Heights that contradicted Trump’s position

Beirut (AP) — The U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey adjusted his comments from two days ago regarding Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights in an interview on Sunday. His remarks conflicted with the stance of U.S. President Donald Trump.

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The Golan Heights were captured by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Middle East War and annexed by Israel in 1981. The United Nations and the vast majority of the international community view the territory as occupied Syrian land, not recognizing Israel's annexation.

Ambassador Tom Barrack initially stated that "Israel still occupies the territory" in an interview with Lebanese-Australian entrepreneur Mario Nawfal. However, he later clarified that this was a description of the territory's historical status, not an endorsement of the United Nations' position on the Golan.

Barrack also stated that "U.S. policy on the Golan was set by President Trump in 2019 and is unchanged". He explained that he intended to clarify why he does not anticipate annexation in Lebanon, where Israeli forces are occupying parts of the southern region following the latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Barrack had previously criticized Israel's strikes on an airbase in northern Syria earlier last week, claiming the strikes were necessary to prevent Turkey from establishing a presence in Syria and threatening Israeli security. Israeli officials defended the strikes, stating they were based on clear intelligence and the recommendation of the Israeli army.

The strikes on the Syrian airbase have intensified tensions between Israel and Turkey due to Ankara's growing influence in Syria following the fall of Bashar Assad. Turkey and Syria have denied reports of Turkish forces being deployed at the Abu Duhur base. Barrack's comments on the Golan Heights also drew criticism in Washington, with Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott accusing Ambassador Barrack of "forgetting" Trump's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territory.