US envoy Tom Barrack’s Israel criticism tests his credibility as a mediator

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy Tom Barrack has drawn sharp criticism from Israel's Defense Minister Yisrael Katz for remarks made on a podcast. Barrack's comments, which contradicted U.S. policy and Israeli threat assessments, were unusual enough to prompt a response from Katz on a Saturday afternoon, a time typically reserved for emergencies.

During a discussion about a recent IDF bombing of an airbase in northern Syria, Barrack stated that Israel occupies the Golan Heights against UN resolutions, a stance contrary to U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty. He also suggested the strike might have been an attempt to "bait" Turkey before an upcoming election, playing to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's base. Furthermore, Barrack claimed U.S. intelligence found Israel's provided intelligence on Turkish troop movements to be incorrect, and asserted that Turkey was not interested in an adversarial relationship with Israel.

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When the Syrian regime did not heed the warning, the strike was authorized and successfully carried out. Erdogan was caught with his hand in the cookie jar and was forced to back down.

Defense Minister Katz responded forcefully, asserting that Israel possessed clear intelligence indicating Turkey planned actions that would endanger Israeli security. He stated the strike was authorized only after Israel issued a direct warning to the Syrian regime and shared intelligence with U.S. authorities. "When the Syrian regime did not heed the warning, the strike was authorized and successfully carried out," Katz wrote, adding that "Erdogan was caught with his hand in the cookie jar and was forced to back down."

Katz dismissed Barrack's comments as "full of inaccuracies," highlighting the significant public dispute between a senior U.S. official and the Israeli defense minister. This exchange underscores tensions over regional security and the differing interpretations of events and motives.

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full of inaccuracies