US Envoy Walks Back Remarks on Israeli Occupation of Syria’s Golan Heights

US envoy to Ankara Tom Barrack has walked back his recent remarks regarding the Israeli occupation of Syria’s Golan Heights, clarifying that his comments were not intended to endorse the United Nations’ position on the disputed territory.

Barrack had said on Friday that Israeli forces “still” occupy the Golan Heights, a territory Syria has long claimed and whose status has been the subject of international dispute.

His remarks appeared to conflict with US President Donald Trump’s 2019 decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, reversing the longstanding US policy on the territory.

Barrack later clarified that he was referring to the historical status of the Golan Heights and was not endorsing the UN position regarding Syrian sovereignty over the area.

He explained that his point was that agreements reached through negotiations between countries are generally more durable than territorial maps.

Barrack said he had referred to the Syrian Golan Heights as an example of how territory taken by force can remain disputed for generations.

Israel has controlled the Golan Heights since 1967, while the international community has broadly rejected the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territory.

Following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024, Israeli forces expanded their presence in areas of southern Syria, taking advantage of the security vacuum created by the political upheaval.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that the Golan Heights is part of Israel, while the position has faced international criticism.

The status of the Golan Heights remains a major point of contention in the region, with Syria continuing to claim the territory and Israel maintaining control over it.