Peace in the Middle East is an illusion, says Trump envoy Tom Barrack

Ceasefires 'don't work' and recognition of Palestinian state 'doesn't help', US diplomat says in exclusive interview

Tom Barrack told On the Record with Hadley Gamble 'there will probably never be peace' in the region. Joshua Longmore / The National

US special envoy Tom Barrack has said Middle East peace is an illusion and described recognition of Palestinian statehood by some UN Security Council members as unhelpful.

“When we say peace, it's an illusion,” the US special envoy to Syria told On the Record with Hadley Gamble.

“There's never been peace [in the Middle East]. There will probably never be peace because everybody's fighting for legitimacy,” Mr Barrack said in an exclusive interview.

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His comments were made days after the US vetoed a UN resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the sixth such vote since Israel’s invasion began.

“I think there's been 27 ceasefires. None of them work,” Mr Barrack said.

Gaza's Health Ministry estimates that at least 65,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of the war and there is evidence that mounting casualties have finally begun to weigh on US President Donald Trump’s supporters.

Asked to comment on growing disenchantment with Israel’s policies, Mr Barrack said the country’s actions should be viewed in the context of the October 7 attacks, an event that changed everything in the Middle East.

“Personally, I hate what's happened in Gaza on all sides. For the Palestinians, for the Israelis, for the Jordanians, for the Lebanese, for the Syrians, for the Turks. You know … it's a mess,” Barrack said.

But, he explained, “Israel is a valued ally. We subsidise them [by] $4 to 5 billion a year. It has a special place in America's heart, and we're living with the confusion of what's happening in this transition. So it's complicated.”

Speaking ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York, Mr Barrack described moves by world leaders including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron to recognise Palestinian statehood as unhelpful.

“It's nice to see the United Nations, any of them, doing anything. That's an accomplishment,” he added. “But I think it’s useless. It doesn't help.”

Despite Israel’s strike on Hamas officials in Doha on September 9 being a “shock to the Gulf” and to the world, Mr Barrack believes no lasting damage has been done to US-Gulf relations.

“It was not good. Qatar has been a great and valued ally to us since day one,” Mr Barrack said, explaining that the Israelis “didn’t tell” the US what they were planning.