Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (R) meets with US envoy Thomas Barrack in Beirut. AFP
In an interview with The National, Barrack said that Lebanon is at risk of falling under the control of regional powers unless Beirut takes action to resolve the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons.
“You have Israel on one side, Iran on the other, and now Syria is reemerging strongly and rapidly. If Lebanon doesn’t act, it will return to being part of ‘Bilad al-Sham’ again,” Barrack stated.
The term Bilad al-Sham, historically referring to Greater Syria, encompasses present-day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine under the Ottoman Empire, a sensitive concept in Lebanon given fears over sovereignty and outside interference.
"The Syrians say that Lebanon is their seaside resort. So we must act. I fully understand the frustration of the Lebanese people — and I share that frustration,” Barrack said.
Barrack's remarks sparked controversy in Lebanon, with some local media interpreting them as a warning that Lebanon could fall under renewed Syrian influence if it failed to align with shifting regional dynamics.
In response to the backlash, Barrack later clarified his comments, saying they were not meant as a threat.
“My comments yesterday praised Syria’s impressive strides, not a threat to Lebanon,” Barrack wrote on X.
“I observed the reality that Syria is moving at light speed to seize the historic opportunity presented by President Donald Trump's lifting of sanctions: Investment from Turkiye and the Gulf, diplomatic outreach to neighbouring countries and a clear vision for the future. I can assure that Syria’s leaders only want coexistence and mutual prosperity with Lebanon, and the US is committed to supporting that relationship between two equal and sovereign neighbours enjoying peace and prosperity,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Syrian government moved to quash speculation that it was planning escalatory steps against Lebanon over the issue of Syrian detainees held in Lebanese prisons, as reported by Araba News.
A Syrian Ministry of Information official said that the detainee issue remains “a top priority” and that Damascus is committed to resolving it “swiftly through official channels between the two countries.”
Barrack recently proposed a plan for disarming Hezbollah and implementing economic reforms to help Lebanon recover from its six-year financial crisis.
The US has maintained that it will not help rebuild Lebanon—nor will Israel stop its airstrikes on its territories—until Hezbollah disarms.
In response, Lebanese authorities submitted a document calling for a complete Israeli withdrawal from disputed territories, including the Shebaa Farms, and reaffirming the state's authority over all weapons, with a commitment to dismantle Hezbollah's arsenal in southern Lebanon.
However, Israel is demanding Hezbollah’s complete disarmament across all Lebanese territory.
Barrack described the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) as a neutral and credible partner in the current crisis but noted that the army is severely underfunded due to Lebanon’s economic collapse.
At the same time, he acknowledged that a full-scale disarmament of Hezbollah could risk igniting a civil war.
He floated a possible scenario in which Hezbollah would voluntarily surrender its heavy weapons — including missiles and drones — to monitored warehouses under a mechanism involving the US, France, Israel, and the LAF.
Barrack also said Washington has reached out to Gulf partners to fund the LAF but noted hesitation on their part due to concerns the money could end up in the hands of Lebanon’s political elite.
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