US Envoy Distances Washington From Israeli Links In Syria's Suwayda

The southern Syrian governorate of Suwayda, where Israel has maintained a military presence, has become the focal point of a disagreement between Washington and Jerusalem over the future of Damascus. Tom Barrack, the US special envoy to Syria and Iraq, addressed the situation in the region on Friday during a conversation with Australian X personality Mario Nawfal.

Barrack referred to a specific Druze sheikh, identified as Hikmat al-Hijri, a prominent political and religious figure in Suwayda. The National Guard, a Druze armed group linked to al-Hijri, has faced accusations of receiving support from Israel while pursuing separatist goals. Navvar Saban, a researcher at the Arab Center for Contemporary Syrian Studies, described the envoy's remarks as a clear delineation of policy. "[Barrack's] message was totally clear," Saban said. "Israel backing [al-Hijri] does not equal American backing."

The United States has prioritized its relationship with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa since the government of Bashar al-Assad fell in December 2024. President Donald Trump views instability in Syria as a threat to the country's reconstruction efforts after 13 years of war. In contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pursued a different course regarding the new Syrian administration. In the days after al-Assad's government collapsed, Israel invaded Syria and seized territory in Quneitra governorate, later bombing the Syrian Ministry of Defence and arresting Syrians in the south.

Nanar Hawach, a Syrian analyst who visited Suwayda in September, characterized the situation as a divergence in strategic goals. "Washington is building a partner in Damascus while Israel appears to prefer a Damascus that is too weak to assert itself in the south," Hawach said. Barrack, who also serves as the US ambassador to Turkiye, has developed a reputation for direct diplomacy.

The governorate remains majority Druze and is one of the few areas in Syria where the government lacks full control. Residents rose up against the al-Assad regime in 2023 due to worsening living conditions. While many celebrated the end of over five decades of Baathist rule in December 2024, hesitancy toward the new government grew after fighting between Bedouin tribes and Druze in July 2025 turned into sectarian killings. Israel intervened during the fighting, attacking Syrian government forces entering Suwayda.

Following the violence, the United States initiated talks with the Syrian government hosted by Jordan. A trilateral agreement was signed in Amman in September 2025, stipulating that Syria would invite an independent international commission to investigate the events and that perpetrators would be brought to justice. Saban stated that a durable settlement requires credible accountability for the events of 2025, noting that the Druze need guarantees regarding movement, education, and security.