US envoy clarifies comments on Israel's Golan Heights occupation

Key Points:

• U.S. envoy Tom Barrack retracted his earlier statement that Israel "still" occupies the Golan Heights, clarifying he was describing the territory’s historical status and not endorsing the U.N. position, reaffirming that U.S. policy on the Golan, set by President Trump in 2019, remains unchanged.
• The Golan Heights, captured by Israel from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981, is considered occupied Syrian land by the U.N. and most of the international community, though Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over it in 2019.
• Barrack also defended his remarks on Israel-Lebanon negotiations, emphasizing that the U.S. does not negotiate with Hezbollah, but highlighted Iran’s role in supplying weapons to Hezbollah complicates the talks.
• Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz defended recent Israeli airstrikes on a northern Syrian airbase, stating they were based on clear intelligence and aimed at preventing Turkey from establishing a presence that could threaten Israeli security.
• Barrack’s comments sparked backlash in Washington, with some officials accusing him of contradicting official U.S. policy, prompting him to clarify his positions and intentions behind the remarks.