24.08.2026 15:40
The US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Representative for Syria and Iraq, Tom Barrack, had made a statement last week regarding Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights, which is Syrian territory. In his new statement, Barrack announced that the US recognized "Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights" in 2019 under President Donald Trump, and that this policy has not changed.
US Ambassador Tom Barrack said in statements made last Friday that Israel is "still occupying" the Golan Heights, contrary to United Nations (UN) resolutions. However, in his new statement, Barrack delivered a different message.
"DETERMINED BY TRUMP"
In a statement to the Associated Press, Barrack said that the US policy regarding the Golan Heights was determined by President Trump in 2019 and that it "has not changed" to this day.
HE HAD DESCRIBED IT AS "OCCUPATION"
Commenting on his Friday remarks, Barrack argued that "it was a description of the region's historical status and not an endorsement of the United Nations' position on the Golan (Heights)."
HISTORY OF THE OCCUPATION
Israel occupied the Golan Heights during the Six-Day War in 1967 and annexed the region in 1981.
On March 25, 2019, Trump announced that they "recognized Israeli sovereignty" over the Golan Heights, which is Syrian territory.
The Colombian government reported on August 10 that it recognized "Israeli sovereignty" over the Golan Heights, which is occupied Syrian territory.