Trump's Syria envoy Barrack tests Israel's patience as Netanyahu pushes back
The struggle between the Israeli prime minister and the envoy is an acknowledgment by Israeli leaders that "what will happen is what Trump wants to happen."
TEL AVIV — The Trump administration has asked Israel to assist President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s effort to bring order to postwar Syria by forgoing military operations there and coordinating its moves with the Syrians and US Central Command. The topic was on the agenda at a lengthy meeting on Monday between Tom Barrack, US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in preparation for the latter's Dec. 29 summit with President Donald Trump in Florida.
After the Monday meeting, Barrack posted on X that it had been a "constructive dialogue working towards regional peace and stability." An unnamed Israeli official told Israeli media that the meeting, also attended by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, was "close and productive." Still, Israeli attitudes toward Barrack are not generally positive.
Israeli suspicions
"Barrack is the one who is always against us," a source close to Netanyahu told Al-Monitor, speaking on condition of anonymity. "In every conflict between Israel and Turkey, he will side with Turkey's position. Between Israel and Syria, he will side with Syria's position and so on."
