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Al Manar
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Manar
How Syria's Ahmad Al-Sharaa Fell into the West's Trap
Ahmad Al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammad Al-Joulani, a unique example of the radical transformations foreseen by the region. Through his 'Jihadist' experience in Afghanistan and Iraq to a political leader in Syria, Al-Sharaa drew a path reflecting the deep contradictions in the Arab geopolitical scene. These transformations lay crucial questions about Syria's future and its role in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Al-Sharaa emerged from the heart of 'Salafi-jihadist' ideology, with his worldview shaped in the training camps of Iraq during the US occupation. He spent several years imprisoned in 'Bucca' detention facility. He later rose as the leader of Hayaat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) in Syria, positioning the group as a hybrid entity that combines political pragmatism with adherence to Salafi rhetoric. Under Al-Sharaa's leadership, Syria witnessed a dramatic transformation; from a bastion of resistance to a player seeking integration into a new regional order, one influenced by American guardianship and Arab normalization intiatives. Ahmad Al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad Al-Joulani, embodies the culmination of a 'Jihadist' experience that spanned from Afghanistan to Syria through Iraq, over the course of many years and various phases, until it crystallized into a political project under Hayaat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS). HTS that was known to many as a Jihadist alliance that holds a level of political flexibility without giving up its commitment to the essence of 'Jihadism' and its goal to liberate Palestine from Israeli occupation, albeit through evolving methods and shifting strategies. The Transformation of Syria's Regional Position For decades, Syria was the cornerstone of the axis of resistance. It supported the Palestinian resistance movements financially and logistically. It faced sanctions and international isolation with steadfastness. However, the new leaders aim to lead the country towards the western axis, where lifting sanctions and economic openness became a priority at the expense of central issues. The project of 'political Jihad,' embodied in Al-Sharaa's rise to power, began transforming the country from part of the Resistance Axis into a Western-aligned axis, both economically and politically. The new Syria opened its doors to Western delegations and responded to pressures to lift sanctions in exchange for strategic shifts in its policies, most notably the so-called 'expulsion of Iranian influence', which for years had served as the umbrella under which the Palestinian resistance, particularly in Gaza, was protected. With this experience reaching power in Syria and taking control of a country with significant geographical, strategic, Islamic, and historical importance, the nation witnessed a major shift in its political trajectory. Syria had, for many years, served as a cornerstone of the Axis of Resistance against the Israeli occupation. It had supported Palestinian and Islamic resistance movements in Lebanon and Palestine financially, politically, and logistically, opening its arms to those movements, hosting their offices and camps, and facing the US sanctions and international isolation as a result. Trump and Al-Sharaa Meeting: The Defining Moment In a scene no one could have imagined years ago, Ahmad Al-Sharaa sat next to President of the United States Donald Trump, in an official summit hosted in the Saudi capital, Riyadh earlier this month (May 14). A man raised in the cradle of Salafi-Jihadist ideology, who fought fierce wars under transnational banners, now stands at the helm of power in Damascus, shakes hands with US President Donald Trump, while Gaza burns under a barrage of Israeli airstrikes backed by the US administration. BREAKING: Donald Trump met Syria's Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh and urged him to join the Abraham Accords. — Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) May 14, 2025 Giving up revolutionary discourse is not the only noticeable thing here, but also the strategic shift that was represented in Al-Sharaa's historic meeting with Trump in Riyadh. A meeting that completely ignored the war crimes in Palestine, while focusing instead on 'economic opportunities' and lifting sanctions. This scene was not isolated, but rather the culmination of a gradual policy that began with severing ties with Iran, marginalizing the role of the Palestinian resistance in official discourse, and engaging in regional projects that may serve as a prelude to normalization with the Israeli enemy. The meeting between Al-Sharaa and Trump was neither a surprising nor an isolated event. Rather, it was the result of a long political trajectory that began when the man shed the mantle of 'global Jihadism' and began repositioning his rhetoric to appeal to Western capitals and court Washington. The same figure who once adopted an anti-Western stance and championed the liberation of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as a central goal now stands at the head of a regime openly embracing the West, presenting itself as a 'potential partner' in the regional stability project, abandoning not only the discourse of confrontation, but even the language of solidarity with Gaza, which, at the very moment of his meeting with Trump, was facing a full-scale genocide. Palestine Absent from the New Discourse One of the striking ironies of this transformation is that when Ahmad Al-Sharaa was asked about terrorism during his visit to France, he made no mention of the terrorism practiced by the Israeli occupation against the people of Gaza—who had once hoped that the new Syrian opposition would become a supporter of their cause. Instead, what happened was the complete opposite. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa meets France's Macron in — Clash Report (@clashreport) May 7, 2025 What was shocking about the summit that hosted Al-Sharaa and Trump wasn't only its timing, but also its content, as the joint statement, and all the remarks, were void of any reference to the Israeli aggression or the suffering of civilians in the besieged strip. There was no mention of the occupation, nor any condemnation of Israeli terrorism, only economic conversations, promises of reconstruction and a 'new era' in relations with Washington. That silence was no exception, but an extension of accumulated stances through which Al-Sharaa, since his emergence as a so-called 'moderate leader,' has deliberately avoided addressing the Palestinian cause. In all his interviews with Western media, he never mentioned 'Israel' except as a 'regional actor,' and he refrained from using any terms drawn from the rhetoric of resistance or even from acknowledging the suffering of the Palestinian people. In this context, the Director of Public Relations at the Syrian Ministry of Information, Ali Al-Rifai, conducted an interview with 'Israel's' Kan 11 channel, affirming his new government's position seeks peace with all parties in the region, 'including the Israeli enemy', with notable avoidance of the fact that 'Israel' continues to occupy significant territories in southern Syria. Warnings and Outcomes This is what the late Hezbollah Secretary General, martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, warned about in 2011 when he affirmed that Syria's fall from the axis of resistance means its transfer into thewhat he called the 'barn of Arab normalization.' This warning materialized in practice with Al-Sharaa's meeting with Trump in Riyadh, along with a tragic situation in Gaza, where the genocide continues. Al-Sharaa and Trump's meeting, described as historic in New Syria's media and some Arab channels, was a shock to both Syrians and Palestinians, especially with the continued Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. Damascus was celebrating the lift of the US sanctions and Trump's photos were raised high in the streets, whilst the people of Gaza are suffering from hunger, murder and evacuation, a provoking scenery to the Palestinian people, and specifically, the people of Gaza. The absence of Palestine from Al-Sharaa's speech, not condemning any Israeli aggression in Gaza or the West Bank and his meeting with Trump in Riyadh, sheds the light on a central question: Is the New Syria transitioning towards actual normalization, even if not declared, with 'Israel'? And is this path being tested now through presenting credentials to the West on the basis of severing ties with the Palestinian cause? After claiming to present a new Islamic model of governance, 'Al-Joulani' fell into the West's trap as he has become a replica of regimes that colluded with the West to liquidate the Palestinian cause. He stepped out from under the mantle of Jihadism into an alliance with Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, effectively handing the Zionist entity a blank check to take center stage in the Arab world. False Hopes and Sanctions Al-Sharaa is betting that the openness to Washington and the lifting of sanctions will be the gateway to economic recovery and political stability. However, as the new administration in Damascus believes this path will bring prosperity and stability to the country, it overlooks the example of Sudan, which saw its sanctions lifted in 2017 only for the promised economic relief to evaporate, its economy to collapse and its regime to fall. Similar outcomes have befallen several other nations that rushed toward the West and certain Arab states in search of investments, only to find themselves trapped in dependency and failure. Sanctions are not merely a temporary tool of pressure; they are a mechanism for reshaping states in line with the interests of 'Israel' and the United States where no state is allowed to be strong and independent unless it serves the security of 'Israel'. Whereas those who seek liberation or dare to say 'no' are pushed toward isolation or collapse. In this context, Hazem Al-Ghabra, who served as Senior Advisor for Public Diplomacy for the Middle East at the US State Department in 2016, revealed the mechanism behind the decision to suspend American sanctions on Syria, noting that the information he presented came through direct communication with both the US State Department and the Treasury Department. Al-Ghabra, who maintains extensive diplomatic ties in Washington and Tel Aviv, clarified that the current measure is not lifting of sanctions but rather a temporary suspension. He affirmed that the decision is scheduled for a two-year period, subject to a periodic review every six months to assess the effectiveness of the suspension. According to Al-Ghabra, the first phase of the suspension will cover key sectors, including monetary policy, telecommunications, energy, and air transport. He stressed that a complete and permanent lifting of sanctions is not an easy process, as it requires approval from the US Congress, which remains the sole authority authorized to formally end the sanctions. He further noted that the US administration is approaching the issue gradually, with each step tied to tangible results on the ground whether they be humanitarian or political. Severing Ties with Palestine and Signs of Normalization Since assuming power, Al-Sharaa's leadership has shown a clear urge to sever all what connects Damascus to the Palestinian cause. No talks about Iran, no communication with the Palestinian resistance movements, no moral or political support to any confrontation with 'Israel'. On the contrary, the new regime started establishing a network of understanding with Riyadh and Washington which, according to observers, might later pave the way to a calculated openness to Tel Aviv- even if it begins with backchannel communications or joint economic projects. In this context, the prospect of Syria's normalization with the Zionist entity—currently being tested through Al-Sharaa's leadership policies—is not merely a political option, but a clear betrayal of the Palestinian people, regardless of motives or justifications. Palestine remains the compass of national and patriotic legitimacy, and any authority that bypasses it or turns a blind eye to the suffering of its people cannot claim to represent the nation or defend its rights. It's Either Axis of Resistance or Project of Liquidation But every attempt to sideline Palestine from the Syrian scene will serve only as a test of the legitimacy of any ruling authority in Damascus. The Palestinian cause is not a passing political card. It is an integral part of Syria's contemporary identity and of the ongoing struggle against American and 'Israeli' hegemony in the region. Any authority that bypasses this reality, bargains over it, or treats it as an 'external burden,' will automatically sever its organic connection to the central cause of the Arab world, and—whether willingly or not—become an implicit partner in the project to liquidate the Palestinian cause, even if it does not formally sign a normalization agreement. What is unfolding in Damascus is not a mere political transition, but a comprehensive reshaping of Syria's national identity and regional role. It either be a part of the Al-Quds Axis, with a renewed mindset and more realistic calculations, or to join the American-Israeli 'New Middle East' project, lured by illusory promises of growth and openness. Today, Syria has only two options with no third. It either goes back to its historical role supporting the Palestinian cause, or completely falls towards normalization under the cover of 'reality'. At the same time, Al-Sharaa's movements can not be separated from the wider regional trajectory, where the 'Deal of the Century' and economic incentives serve as tools to impose normalization as an inevitable path. Syria, which for years was the cornerstone of the Resistance Axis, is being tested today through a policy of 'small steps' as follow: Economic openness as a key to normalization: Promises of lifting the sanctions and reconstruction are being used as a trap to lure the regime into the circle of Western dependency. Weakening the Iranian Axis: Expelling the Iranian influence, based on Western perspective, is not a step toward restoring Syrian sovereignty, but rather a means to block any alliance hostile to 'Israel'. Silence in the face of the Occupation aggression: The absence of any condemnation of the 'Israeli' aggression on the part of Al-Sharaa's leadership confirms that Palestine is no longer a priority, but a burden that is replaced by 'strategic partnership'. The greatest danger does not lie in the political shift itself, but in Syria's loss of its role as a pillar of the Arab liberation project. Damascus, which for years hosted Palestinian and Lebanese resistance leaders and provided them with logistical and political support, is now turning into a state that views the Palestinian cause as a 'burdensome legacy.' This is not a tactical repositioning, but a betrayal of the historical legitimacy Syria has held since the 1967 Six-Day War and even earlier events. Moreover, the illusion that 'opening up to the West' will bring stability ignores a clear lesson: no regime in the region is allowed to prosper unless it serves 'Israeli' security. Sudan and Egypt are clear examples: The former saw its regime fall after sanctions were lifted, while the latter became a partner in the blockade of Gaza despite receiving 'US aid.'
Al Manar
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Manar
Ex-US Ambassador to Syria Reveals Role in Rebranding Ahmad Al-Sharaa
Former US Ambassador to Damascus Robert Ford disclosed a behind-the-scenes Western role—particularly American—that indirectly facilitated Ahmad Al-Sharaa's path to power. Speaking earlier this month at the Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs, Ford confirmed that the United States played an indirect role, beginning with a series of meetings in 2023 when Al-Shara was still leading Hayaat Tahrir Al-Sham under the alias 'Abu Mohammad Al-Joulani,' up until his eventual rise to the presidency of Syria. He noted that a UK-based non-governmental organization, specializing in conflict resolution, invited a European team—of which Ford was a member—to guide Al-Shara into the political arena, rather than allowing him to remain within the framework of armed groups. These efforts, according to Ford, were part of a broader Western strategy for political rehabilitation. The video below, edited by The Cradle, shows the ex-ambassador's remarks. 'The first time I heard of him was during my time in Iraq between 2000 and 2003, where he was a prominent figure in al-Qaeda's operations in northern Iraq,' Ford said. 'In 2023, I received an invitation from a British NGO to help extract him from the world of terrorism and prepare him for a political role.' According to Ford, his first meeting with Al-Sharaa took place in March 2023 and was followed by a second in September. Their third and final encounter occurred in January of this year—inside the presidential palace in Damascus—after Al-Sharaa had assumed power. Ford noted that the three meetings were not, by themselves, sufficient to politically legitimize Al-Sharaa. Rather, they marked the culmination of a longer process that began in 2016, when Al-Sharaa formally cut ties with Al-Qaeda and 'began presenting a more moderate image within the context of the Syrian opposition movement.'
Al Manar
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Manar
Trump Says Exploring Normalizing Ties with Syria, Calls on Sharaa to Do So with ‘Israel'
US President Donald Trump has met Syria's interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia and said that Washington is exploring normalizing ties with Syria, a day after an announcement that all US sanctions on Syria would be lifted. The US president met Sharaa, a former militant known as Al-Joulani who fought in the ranks of Hayaat Tahrir Al-Sham, before a conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), part of Trump's four-day visit to the Middle East, where he is expected to court Gulf allies for investments in the US. Trump is due to land in Doha next, where he will meet the Qatari leader, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. Pictures showed the Saudi crown prince, Mohammad Bin Salman, sitting in the room as Trump and Sharaa met in Riyadh, flanked by the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and the Syrian foreign minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani. The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, joined the meeting by telephone, according to the Turkish Anadolu news agency. ⚡️From the meeting between Sharaa and US President Trump, in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. — War Monitor (@WarMonitors) May 14, 2025 'With the support of the great leaders in this room, we are currently exploring normalizing relations with Syria's new government,' Trump said, confirming his brief meeting with Sharaa. The 'cessation of sanctions' will give Syria 'a fresh start', Trump said. 'We will be dropping all sanctions.' Meanwhile, the White House said in a statement that during the meeting, Trump asked Sharaa to deport Palestinians it described as 'terrorists', 'sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel' and 'assume responsibility for ISIS detention centers in northeast Syria,' referring to ISIL Takfiri group. '[I am] ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria to give them a fresh start,' Trump told the GCC after his meeting with Sharaa. 'It gives them a chance for greatness. The sanctions were really crippling, very powerful.' BREAKING: 🇺🇲🇸🇾 Trump announced lifting of sanctions against Syria: 'I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness… Oh what I do for the crown prince' In return, yesterday the Times reported that the US will get the… — Megatron (@Megatron_ron) May 13, 2025
Al-Ahram Weekly
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Syrian Dialogue outlooks - World - Al-Ahram Weekly
The Syrian National Dialogue Conference in Damascus brought together Syrians from across the country and abroad for discussions on the country's future The Syrian National Dialogue Conference (SNDC) convened on 24-25 February at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, having been postponed several times in the face of widespread criticism over the selection of the SNDC preparatory committee, the preparation process, the agenda, and the prospective invitees. Around 600 Syrian figures were invited who had been selected based on diversity, professional qualifications, and other criteria set by the preparatory committee that consisted of individuals close to Hayaat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and some civil society activists. The committee had earlier visited Syria's various governorates, meeting with local community representatives to solicit views on the proposed agenda for the conference before sending out invitations. However, this occurred only 24 hours ahead of time, and some Syrian opposition figures abroad, particularly in Europe and the US, were forced to decline their invitations due to the impossibility of making travel arrangements at such short notice. Others managed to participate, with some praising the organisers' efforts despite the time constraints and Syria's lack of experience with such conferences. The SNDC concluded with an 18-point statement that in addition to establishing the guiding principles of the transitional phase in Syria, reaffirmed the country's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and condemned the Israeli incursions into Syrian territory. It underscored the need to ensure the state's monopoly of legitimate arms and to build a unified army. It called for the rapid drafting of an Interim Constitutional Declaration, the formation of an Interim Legislative Council, and the establishment of a Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution. The participants also reaffirmed the need to strengthen freedom, guarantee respect for human rights, promote the roles of women and youth, and protect the rights of children and people with special needs. The statement reaffirmed the principles of equal citizenship, equal opportunity, peaceful coexistence, social harmony, and the rejection of discrimination and violence, and it underscored the need for transitional justice and for fair criteria for any political exclusion in this framework. It did not contain the terms 'democracy' or 'rotation of power,' although it did call for 'political development that guarantees the participation of all segments of society.' In this spirit, it called for the reform of state institutions, building a dynamic civil society, educational development, and fostering a culture of dialogue. It urged a focus on economic development and stimulating investment and appealed for the lifting of international sanctions on Syria to facilitate reconstruction and the return of displaced persons and refugees. The predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), excluded from the SNDC, hastily organised a counter conference, generating an alternative narrative to that of the Transitional Government in Damascus. The SNDC preparatory committee argued that the event it had organised was intended for Syria's political, cultural, and intellectual elites, as well as legal experts and activists, saying a separate mechanism under the Ministry of Defence would engage with the militant factions. However, talks began between the SDF and Damascus two months ago. Meanwhile, critics of the official SNDC charged that it had been hastily organised and sidelined major figures, especially those abroad. Two days, the time allotted for the SNDC, was not sufficient for the meaningful exchange of ideas to take place, they said. Some said that the final statement had been drafted in advance, presumably according to Syrian Transitional President Ahmed Al-Sharaa's dictates, and that the attendees were there merely to give the SNDC the stamp of popular legitimacy. The SNDC coincided with an EU meeting in Brussel to discuss the fate of EU sanctions on Syria, and it appears that the EU was reassured by its results as it approved the lifting of sanctions on the Syrian energy, transport, and construction sectors, as well as on Syrian Airlines and four Syrian banks. The EU also eased restrictions on the Syrian Central Bank. Sanctions remained in place against certain dual-use goods and equipment with civilian and military applications. While there were criticisms, many commended the SNDC despite some organisational flaws. It had brought together representatives of a broad spectrum of ideological, regional, and sectarian backgrounds, they said, and the discussions, divided into the six themes of civil society and political participation, transitional justice, constitutional development, institutional reform, personal freedoms, and the economy, had been uniformly serious. But while some sessions were described as constructive, others were reportedly hampered by sharply different outlooks, especially between Salafis and more secular-oriented participants. Critics of the final statement said that it had confined itself to loosely worded general principles and there had not been opportunities for debate on contentious issues. However, a general view was that this was still an early stage in the political transition in Syria and that establishing common ground should take priority so as not to jeopardise national unity. Syria's Transitional Government had another reason for wanting to strengthen the image of national unity because of the Israeli incursions into southern Syria. While the SNDC was convening in Damascus, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared his intention to turn the whole of southern Syria into a demilitarised zone, stating that he would not allow the entry of the new Syrian Army into the area. In mid-February the Transitional Government Ministry of Defence announced that it had reached an agreement with southern factions in Syria for their integration into the new Syrian Army. They would be incorporated into four brigades, with a total of 15,000 fighters recruited from local populations and garrisoned in Daraa, western Daraa, Quneitra, and Suwayda, it said. Following a recent sectarian flare up in Jaramana, a suburb of Damascus, Netanyahu declared that the Israeli Army was ready to 'defend' Syria's Druze community, especially in Jaramana, which lies 10 km south of the capital. Tensions in Jaramana spiked when members of a local armed group who were manning an unauthorised checkpoint abducted and killed two security personnel affiliated with the government. This led to a clash between the local militants and government security forces, who were driven out of the local police headquarters. According to some observers, the government's security forces have acquired a reputation for aggressive and heavy-handed policing in minority areas. There have been reports of arbitrary executions targeting Ismailis and Alawites in rural Hama, Homs, and Latakia in recent weeks, which have sparked fears in other minority majority areas, aggravated tensions between the authorities and the minority communities, and fuelled an aversion to government security personnel. The government has dismissed the events as 'isolated incidents' and vowed to bring those responsible to account. Syria's Transitional Government is working to rally Arab and international support to compel Israel to withdraw from southern Syria and respect the conditions of the 1974 Armistice Agreement. However, many Syrians warn that Netanyahu will continue to exploit incidents like those in Jaramana and therefore urge the new authorities to work harder for national unity. * A version of this article appears in print in the 6 March, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
