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US envoy Tom Barrack clarifies comments on Golan Heights and Syria airstrikes

The diplomat walked back remarks describing the Golan Heights as occupied and clarified statements on regional talks and Israeli military actions.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 02:15 UTC4 reports

The short version

U.S. envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack clarified his earlier statement that Israel occupies the Golan Heights, reaffirming Donald Trump's 2019 policy recognizing Israeli sovereignty.
Barrack also defended his remarks regarding Israeli airstrikes against the Abu Duhur base in Syria and denied proposing direct talks with Hezbollah or Iran.
The initial remarks drew public criticism from Israeli officials and U.S. political figures.
Tensions remain unresolved between Israel and Turkey over military influence and troop presence in post-Assad Syria.

Barrack stated on Sunday that U.S. policy recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights remains unchanged from the position established by Donald Trump in 2019.[Associated Press · Al Jazeera · ABC News]
Barrack had said in a Friday interview with Mario Nawfal that Israel still occupies the Golan Heights against U.N. resolutions, which he later characterized as a historical description rather than policy endorsement.[Associated Press · Associated Press · Al Jazeera · ABC News]
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israeli strikes on Syria's Abu Duhur base aimed to stop Turkish forces from deploying there and that warnings were communicated to U.S. and Syrian authorities.[Associated Press · Associated Press · ABC News]
Turkey and Syria denied plans for Turkish troops to deploy at the Abu Duhur base.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Barrack stated that his references to Iran and Hezbollah in the context of regional talks highlighted weapons supply lines rather than advocating direct U.S. negotiations with Hezbollah.[Associated Press · ABC News]

Accounts conflict regarding advance communication, with Barrack asserting Israel provided no advance warning of the Abu Duhur strike and Katz asserting intelligence was transferred simultaneously to U.S. authorities.[Associated Press]