Ex-“Israeli” Officer Warns of Syria Unrest, Slams Barrack

By Staff, Agencies

Hanan Geffen, the former commander of the "Israeli" military intelligence Unit 8200 is cautioning that Syria is on the verge of alarming developments, warning that instability could intensify in the coming weeks.

Geffen said that serious unrest is looming and suggested that US envoy Tom Barrack risks becoming a “tragic figure” in the Syrian file.

In remarks to i24NEWS, Geffen explained that Barrack “is a friend of Donald Trump and a businessman who knows people, but he does not know the Middle East.”

He added that Interim Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa “knows how to present himself to diplomats, while Barrack ignores intelligence officers who are well-informed about the Syrian arena.”

Geffen argued that Barrack does not grasp the complexity of Syria’s realities. 

“Al-Sharaa knows how to market himself in a suit and tie while meeting diplomats. Barrack does not listen to the intelligence officers who understand Syria well and who warn him that he is mistaken. He does not grasp the reality in Syria, and what happened in Suwayda will repeat itself,” he told i24NEWS.

He further predicted that Barrack will be forced to face the consequences of his miscalculations, saying, “In the coming weeks, we will be talking about Tom Barrack again, as new events emerge in Syria and he realizes he has made a grave mistake in thinking he can represent American interests.”

The warnings come as Suwayda, the Druze-majority province, continues to face irregular violations of the ceasefire. 

Geffen suggested that unrest could soon erupt either in Kurdish-majority regions or in the Alawite heartland, saying that such turmoil would expose the fragility of the current Syrian regime.

“At that point, the Americans will realize that there is a serious problem with this system, and everything will come to a halt, including aid and support for the Syrian administration,” he warned.

Fears have grown amid broader sectarian violence, with over 1,400 Alawites killed since March in coastal Syria in systematic massacres by factions tied to the new Syrian authority.

Geffen warned of Syria’s fragile economy, noting Qatar is temporarily covering salaries, but real progress remains absent beyond diplomacy and appearances.

Meanwhile, US envoy Tom Barrack has voiced full support for Ahmed al-Sharaa’s regime and has promoted the lifting of sanctions as a “strategic fresh start.”