Erez Linn
Israel Hayom, Mar. 10, 2025
“I found him to be a very methodical thinker with a strong degree of pragmatism.”
Syria’s new president has traded his militant fatigues for polished suits as he attempts to transform his image from extremist commander to pragmatic statesman, The New York Times reported. Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, became Syria’s interim president after a rebel alliance he led toppled strongman Bashar Assad in December.
The former commander who once welcomed foreign fighters and dispatched bombers now tells The Economist that “if democracy means that the people decide who will rule them and who represents them in the Parliament, then, yes, Syria is going in this direction.” The New York Times noted that al-Sharaa broke with al-Qaida years ago and has embarked on a diplomatic campaign to convince both international leaders and Syrians that he can rebuild his shattered country.
The stark contrast between al-Sharaa’s jihadist history and his current nationalistic approach has raised questions about his true intentions, according to The New York Times. His interim government is holding a national dialogue Tuesday with hundreds of attendees, ostensibly to build consensus around Syria’s political and economic future, though key groups like the US-backed Kurdish militia controlling the northeast were not invited.
Many Syrians, exhausted after 13 years of civil war, believe any leadership will improve upon the “misery and destruction” wrought by Assad, The New York Times reported. However, critics concerned about al-Sharaa’s Islamist background charge that his conciliatory rhetoric masks a troubling past he hasn’t clearly renounced…SOURCE