Ankara, Turkey – US Special Presidential Envoy to Syria and Iraq, Thomas Barak, affirmed that the occupied Syrian Golan Heights belong to Syria under UN resolutions and international law. Separately, Barak warned of the serious repercussions of an Israeli airstrike targeting Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria. He indicated that it nearly pushed Ankara and Tel Aviv into a direct military confrontation.
The occupied Golan Heights are Syrian according to international law.
In an interview with Clash Report via the X platform, the US envoy stated that Israeli forces continue to occupy the Syrian Golan Heights in violation of UN resolutions. He also pointed out that the international system clearly stipulates that the Golan Heights belong to Syria. These statements are consistent with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, most notably Resolution 497 of 1981, which deemed Israel’s decision to impose its laws and jurisdiction on the Golan Heights null and void and without any international legal effect. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Sheibani had previously called on the Security Council to implement Resolution 497 and for Israel to withdraw to the June 4, 1967 lines. All participants emphasized the centrality of the issue and rejected attempts to alter the legal status of the region.
Warnings about the danger of Türkiye being drawn into the conflict
Regarding developments on the ground, Barak, speaking on the Mario Nofal podcast, warned that the airstrike targeting Abu al-Duhur airport early Tuesday morning was “serious and worrying.” He suggested that Israel may have been attempting to “provoke Turkey” and test its reaction. The US envoy explained that possible scenarios for the strike include a mistaken Israeli belief that there were Turkish military assets inside the base, or it could indicate the interception of talks about Ankara’s intention to expand its military training activities there. Despite Turkey’s repeated assurances that it does not intend to take a hostile stance and that it seeks to see an independent and sovereign Syria, Barak warned that the unintended consequences of this tactical error would have been extremely serious. He also called for resolving disputes through formal and informal diplomatic channels rather than unilateral actions.
