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A US Envoy Clarifies His Comments on Golan Heights That Contradicted Trump’s Position

BEIRUT (AP) — The U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey on Sunday walked back his comments from two days ago that Israel "still" occupies the Golan Heights in violation of U.N. resolutions, remarks that went against U.S. President Donald Trump 's position on the disputed territory.

japannews.yomiuri.co.jp ·

On Sunday, the U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, clarified his remarks from two days prior that appeared to contradict U.S. President Donald Trump's stance on the Golan Heights. Barrack's earlier comments had stated that Israel "still" occupied the disputed territory, which goes against the U.S. position recognized by President Trump in 2019.

Barrack now clarifies that his initial statement was a description of the territory's historical status, rather than an endorsement of the U.N.'s position on the Golan Heights. He reiterated that U.S. policy on the Golan Heights, as set by President Trump in 2019, remains unchanged. The ambassador aimed to explain his concerns about Israel's occupation in Lebanon, where Israeli forces are present due to the recent Israel-Hezbollah war.

He argued that negotiated agreements, rather than territorial maps, are more durable solutions to the Golan Heights issue.

Additionally, Barrack clarified his comments about Israel's strikes on a Syrian airbase earlier in the week. The strikes were intended to prevent Turkey from establishing a presence at the base and were defended by Israeli officials as based on "clear intelligence" and the recommendation of the Israeli army. The strikes have contributed to heightened tensions between Israel and Turkey over Ankara's growing influence in Syria following the fall of Bashar Assad.

Barrack's clarification of his Golan Heights remarks also drew criticism in Washington, with Sen. Rick Scott accusing the ambassador of forgetting Trump's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territory. However, Barrack defended his comments, stating that he was not proposing a new negotiating table for the issue. Instead, he pointed out that the weapons in question are supplied and financed by Iran, complicating negotiations over their fate.

He emphasized that Hezbollah, a designated foreign terrorist organization, is not being invited to the U.S.-backed negotiations.

Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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·asahi.com

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