Israel has occupied the Golan Heights since 1967 and captured more territory inside Syria since December 2024 [Getty]
US envoy Tom Barrack Wednesday called on Israel to seize the opportunity and strike a deal with Syria, as Israel escalates its incursions into the neighbouring war-torn country.
Direct talks between Israeli and Syrian officials to reach a security deal have failed to yield results, despite Washington urging both sides to reach an agreement.
“You cannot fight and attack every country that surrounds you,” Barrack, US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, said in remarks directed at Israel.
In comments made to Israel’s i24NEWS channel, he said that he “believes an agreement between Israel and Syria will be reached, as this is in Israel’s interest”.
“Syria understands that its future depends on a security agreement and a border fence with Israel, and its incentive is not aggression toward Israel,” he said.
Describing Israel’s approach as “pragmatic”, Barrack argued that Israel “will trust no one” following Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attack.
“That’s fine – they will establish concentric rings of controlled use: no rockets here, no RPGs there, and supersonic aircraft under supervision. The Syrians are incredibly ready for that,” he stated, referring to an Israeli-proposed demilitarised southern Syria.
Barrack added that Syria was the most realistic country for Israel to make diplomatic progress in the region right now.
“At the moment, Syria is the easiest step for Israel to make progress. It is the easiest place to demonstrate flexibility in dealing with the world and to bridge gaps.”
Shortly after the fall of the Assad regime a year ago, Israel claimed that the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria was no longer valid and sent troops across the demilitarised buffer zone separating the occupied Golan Heights from Syria proper.
It has since occupied parts of Quneitra province and the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, while carrying out repeated airstrikes on Syria as well as cross-border raids. AÂ deadly Israeli incursion in the town of Beit Jinn killed 14 Syrians killed earlier this month.
Tel Aviv has made unverified claims that several Islamist groups are still present and pose a threat to Israel from nearby southern Syria. It has also refused to give up the Golan Heights.
The new government in Damascus has refused calls to demilitarise the country’s south, accusing Israel of exploiting Syria’s transitional period and the weakened condition of state institutions to expand its operations deeper into Syrian territory.
War threats
Syrian officials have denied that the talks with Israel were to normalise ties, and that they were strictly aimed at ending Israeli occupation, incursions and attacks.
At a Monday parade marking the first anniversary since the fall of Assad’s regime, Syrian soldiers chanted slogans in support of Gaza, drawing Israeli ire.
“The nature of the [Syrian] regime is extremist jihadism, and we do not confuse them,” one official told Army Radio station.
Posting a video from the parade the following day, Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli wrote in a caption on X, “War is inevitable.”