President Trump’s special envoy criticized Israel on Monday, responding to its recent strikes in Syria. Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and envoy for Syria, is currently working on efforts to establish a ceasefire aimed at halting the sectarian violence that erupted last week, which also prompted Israeli involvement to protect minority groups in Syria. The ceasefire was declared on July 18.
In an interview with the Associated Press in Beirut, Barrack mentioned that the U.S. had not been consulted prior to Israel’s decision to launch strikes in Syria. He also expressed that the Israeli intervention “adds another confusing chapter” and comes at an inopportune time.
This criticism adds to reports from Axios indicating that White House officials have characterized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “madman,” claiming he’s undermining Trump’s broader objectives in the Middle East.
Trump has voiced his support for the newly established interim Syrian government, which gained control following the ousting of long-standing dictator Bashar al-Assad in a rapid offensive at the end of 2024. In May, Trump announced plans to lift all U.S. sanctions on Syria to facilitate its rebuilding efforts. His administration also removed the terrorist designation from Heiat Taharil Al-Sham, the group responsible for the attack and currently led by interim president Ahmed Al-Sharaa, effectively abolishing a $10 million reward for his capture.
While the expulsion of Assad received widespread acclaim, sectarian tensions and violence have persisted. Last week, clashes erupted in South Sweida, involving Bedouin fighters and the Druze community.
Reports indicated that over 300 people died in the conflict, which led Israel to conduct strikes against Damascus and Syrian government forces, asserting that it was a protective measure for the Druze community.
The Druze minority in Israel is highly regarded for its contributions to the country. Netanyahu stated that the strikes were aimed at preventing the militarization of Syrian forces near Israel’s northern border and to safeguard “our brother, the Druze of Mount Druze.”
Al-Sharaa condemned the Israeli strikes, labeling them an attempt to create domestic “chaos.” Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been trying to mediate relations between the interim Syrian government and Israel, seeing this as a potential turning point for peace in the region. Although Al-Sharaa has expressed a willingness to forge ties with Israel, Israeli officials remain hesitant to empower a government associated with past terrorist links, including al-Qaeda and ISIS.
