US envoy: Borders won’t stop Netanyahu if Israel is threatened

A senior US diplomat has stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will “go anywhere and do anything” he believes necessary to protect his country, regardless of international borders.

“In general, after Oct. 7, everything has changed in the Middle East,” US envoy Tom Barrack said, adding, “And Bibi Netanyahu will tell you he’s not concerned about borders.” Barrack made the remarks in response to a question about Israel’s recent attack on Qatar’s capital of Doha, which targeted Hamas officials.

“If he feels that his borders or his people are being threatened, he will go anywhere and do anything, full stop,” Barrack said in an interview with The National. The US diplomat, who serves as both the US ambassador to Türkiye and the US special envoy for Syria and Lebanon, noted that it was Washington which previously requested Qatar to host Hamas and Taliban officials.

The US has repeatedly stated that Israel did not provide prior notification of the strike on Doha, which occurred on the territory of one of Washington’s major non-NATO allies. Barrack said he does not agree “with a lot of things” Israel does, but added he respects the country “because they tell you exactly what’s going to happen.”

Barrack also commented on the broader Middle East peace process, noting the enduring instability in the region. “When we say peace, it's an illusion,” he said. “There's never been peace [in the Middle East]. There will probably never be peace because everybody's fighting for legitimacy.”

On the topic of Hezbollah, Barrack emphasised that the group has “zero” incentive to give up its arms, highlighting the ongoing challenges in regional security.

His remarks come just days after the US vetoed a UN resolution calling for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, marking the sixth veto since Israel’s invasion began. “I think there's been 27 ceasefires. None of them work,” Barrack said.

The humanitarian toll of the conflict has been severe. Gaza’s Health Ministry estimates that at least 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, a situation that has reportedly started to weigh on US President Donald Trump’s supporters. Barrack urged that Israel’s actions be viewed in the context of the October 7 attacks, which he said fundamentally altered the dynamics in the region.

“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. He added, however, “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.”

Barrack also criticised recent international efforts to recognise Palestinian statehood, describing them as unhelpful. “It's nice to see the United Nations, any of them, doing anything. That's an accomplishment,” he said. “But I think it’s useless. It doesn't help.”

Regarding the September 9 Israeli strike on Hamas officials in Doha, which caused a regional shock, Barrack downplayed long-term consequences for US-Gulf relations. “It was not good. Qatar has been a great and valued ally to us since day one,” he said, noting that the Israelis “didn’t tell” the US about their plans.

By Tamilla Hasanova