Illustrative image. (The Syrian Arab News Agency)
United States special envoy Tom Barrack hinted on July 11 that Lebanon could be taken over by Syria if Hezbollah refuses to disarm.
Barrack, who is the special envoy for Syria and U.S. ambassador to Turkey, told The National in an interview that Lebanon needs to resolve the issue or else it could face an existential threat.
“You have Israel on one side, you have Iran on the other, and now you have Syria manifesting itself so quickly that if Lebanon doesn’t move, it’s going to be Bilad Al Sham again,” the senior diplomat said, using the historical name for the Syria region.
“Syrians say Lebanon is our beach resort. So we need to move. And I know how frustrated the Lebanese people are. It frustrates me,” he added.
Last month, Barrack presented Lebanon with a proposal to disarm Hezbollah in exchange for aid and a halt in Israeli operations in the country, which continued post a ceasefire brokered by the U.S. last November. In response, the Lebanese government demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from disputed territory, including the occupied Shebaa Farms. From its side, Hezbollah refused to disarm.
Barrack’s shocking hint came following reports in Hebrew media suggesting that Syria wants to annex parts of Lebanon in exchange for relinquishing a part of the occupied Golan Heights to Israel.
One of the proposed peace agreements reportedly allows Israel to keep two-thirds of the Golan Heights. The remaining third would be returned to Syria, but under a potential lease arrangement. In this version, Syria would also be granted control over Tripoli parts of the Bekaa Valley in northern Lebanon.
According to Israel’s i24NEWS, which was among the first to report on the alleged proposal, Syria wants to restore sovereignty over the Sunni-majority city of Tripoli.
Now, Barrack appears to suggest that Syria’s new Islamist rulers are eyeing the entirety of Lebanon, not just its northern part.
It’s worth noting that amid all of these reports tensions began to mount between Lebanon and Syria over the issue of Syrian Islamist prisoners in Lebanese jailed. According to Arab media, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa even threatened to take diplomatic and economic action against Lebanon over the issue.
Even if Syria was able to secure the support of most Sunnis in Lebanon, which is highly unlikely, all remaining groups, including Christians, Shia, Druze and Alawites, will likely fight back. Thus, Sharaa will have to embark on a full-blown war to annex just one part of Lebanon.
Considering that Syria is on its way to make peace with Israel, it is very understandable that both the U.S. and Israel would support such a war. If Syria manages to swallow Lebanon, Hezbollah will simply cease to exist and all of Israel’s northern border will be secured for the first time ever.
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