US envoy Tom Barrack retracts comment that Syria’s Golan is occupied

Beirut — On Sunday, the U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, clarified his comments from two days prior that Israel still occupies the Golan Heights, contradicting the stance of U.S. President Donald Trump. Israel had seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Middle East War and formally annexed it in 1981.

The United Nations and the vast majority of the international community do not recognize Israel's annexation of the territory as it considers it occupied Syrian land. In 2019, Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the territory, which marked a shift from decades of U.S. policy.

Barrack initially described the Golan Heights' status as "still occupied" in an interview with Lebanese-Australian entrepreneur Mario Nawfal. However, he now clarifies that statement was merely referring to the territory's historical status, not endorsing the United Nations' position on the matter. Barrack stated in a statement to the Associated Press on Sunday that U.S. policy on the Golan Heights remains unchanged, as set by President Trump in 2019.

The U.S. envoy explained that he intended to discuss the reasons behind his belief that Israel would not annex the Golan Heights, particularly in the context of the recent Israel-Hezbollah war, where Israeli forces are occupying parts of southern Lebanon. He also argued that negotiated agreements, rather than territorial maps, are more durable and used the Golan Heights as an example, emphasizing that territory taken by force remains contested for generations.

In the interview, Barrack also criticized Israel's strikes on an airbase in northern Syria earlier last week, aimed at preventing Turkey from establishing a presence at the base. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz defended the strikes, stating that critics had initially called them "unnecessary and politically motivated." Israeli officials claimed the strikes were based on "clear intelligence" and at the recommendation of the Israeli army.

Barrack's criticism of the strikes sparked backlash in Washington, with Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott accusing the ambassador of forgetting President Trump's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territory.

Barrack's comments on the Golan also drew criticism, as he had suggested that Hezbollah and Iran should participate in U.S.-backed negotiations between Israel and Lebanon over Israeli withdrawal and the disarmament of the militant group. He clarified on Sunday that the U.S. does not negotiate with Hezbollah but highlighted that weapons supplied and financed by Iran complicated negotiations over their fate.

Barrack reiterated that Hezbollah is a designated foreign terrorist organization and that his remarks were not meant to confer standing on anyone.