Syria, a home of diverse ethnic and religious group boarding Lebanon and Mediterranean sea to the west and Jordan to the south and Israel to south west and Turkey to the north. After the Arab Spring and the Syrian civil war, Syria has been in severe tension with Israel, Turkey, Iraq, and Lebanon.
“Arab Spring, popularly known as Arab awakening, sparked by desperate attempt of people dissatisfied with governance of local governments, although few speculator marking it a result of disparity of income, unemployment, human rights violation, absolute monarchy, extreme poverty. It was not only in Arab states but few of North African Countries like Tunisia, Algeria, etc.”
Origin of Syria:
During the First World War, Ottoman Empire sided with Germany, led a tension between Turkey and British allies. It ultimately led a loss of entire east part of Ottoman Empire to British and French allies. Under a secret pact “Sykes-Picot Pact of 1916” between French and British, It was agreed to divide the Ottoman Empire in two zones. As British had already control over Egypt since 1888, and now trying to weaken the Ottoman Empire. The British diplomatically used few of greedy and influencing men of Ottoman Empire like Hussein bin Ali. He was the last rulers over the Hejaz appointed by Ottoman Empire. He was deemed a clan of “clan of Hashim”, an Arabian clan within the larger Quraysh tribe. His noble lineage granted him as a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and the same was recognized by British. British were successful to influence the Hussein bin Ali against the Ottoman Empire in return of his independent state covering a large area. Finally it sparks an Arab revolt, leading dissolution of Ottoman Empire. Historian believes that a large majority of Arab was neutral during this incidence and they also mark it a division of Arabian Muslim under the conspiracy of British.
“The Sykes–Picot Pact, officially known as the Asia Minor Agreement, between the governments of the United Kingdom and France with the consent of Russia, led a division of the Arab provinces lost by the Ottoman Empire into areas of British and French control. This secret agreement was exposed by Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution of 1917“
After First World War, British forces defeated the Ottoman forces and captured Damascus, It ultimately led an independent Kingdom of Syria on 8 March 1920. British and French repudiated this unilateral action while “British promise to Hussein bin Ali”. Soon San Ramo Conference was called by the Allied Powers in April 1920 to finalize the allocation of league of nation mandate in Middle East. But it was strongly objected by Faisal I, a third son of Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca and his supporters. At last kingdom of Syria was very short lived following the Battle of Maysalun. Finally under league of nation mandate Syria was put under a French mandate. Syria and France negotiated a treaty of independence in September 1936 but French Legislature refused to ratify it. During Second World War with the fall of France gave a new hope to Syrian nationalist and they raise a strong voice against imperialism. Finally, continuing pressure from Syrian nationalists led the French to back their troops in April 1946, paved a way for an independent state of Syria.
Arab-Israeli War:
In 1948, Syria aligning with few local Arab states including Egypt, Jordan, etc attempting to prevent the establishment of the State of Israel led the first military overthrow of the Arab World by Syrian army chief Col. Husni al-Za’im. Soon Husni al-Za’im al-Za’ was overthrown by a group of officers Shishakli and Colonel Sami al-Hinnawi. Sami al-Hinnawi became de facto ruler of Syria who restored Syria’s parliamentary system and became chief of the Syrian Army. A nationalist leader Hashim al-Atassi became prime minister and wanted association with Hashemite Iraq. The moment when Adib Shishakli came to know the pro-Hashemite attitude of Hinnawi, he launched another coup to arrest Hinnawi and finally made his comrade Selu the Chief of the Army, the Prime Minister, and the Minister for Defence. But Selu was merely a puppet of Shishakli. Once again Military rule restored in Syria by Shishakli. i then dissolved all political parties in a return to military rule. In August 1952, Shishakli established a government party, the Arab Liberation Movement. In this era Shishakli had good relations with Western world but reluctant towards Israel. Growing discontent and backing of Syrian Communist Party and Ba’ath Party members overthrew his regime in 1954. Later he was also assassinated and again parliamentary system was restored. In1956, Syria signed a pact with the Soviet Union to give end of a prolong crisis over Suez Canal.
“In 1956, Suez crisis took place as a result of Tripartite Aggression of Israel, Britain, France to took control over Suez Canal. After intervention of USSR and USA, Britain and France withdrew from this aggression. But Israel forces remained here by 1957. After 1957, it was reopened after deployment of United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF)”
On 1 February 1958, Syrian President Shukri al-Quwatli decided to merge with Egypt under influence of Naseer and announced a creation the United Arab Republic. The same time a group led by Syrian Ba’athist officers formed a secret Military Committee. The secession of Syria on September 1961 led instability. Soon the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party took control over Syria. It marks a ground for Communist influence in government in exchange for military equipment. The corrective movement of 1970 by Hafez al-Assad and his Baath Party paved a way of Assad rule. He ruled autocratically Syria till his death in 2000; he was succeeded by his son Bashar al-Assad. Bashar al-Assad’s government is continuously facing civil war in the wake of Arab Spring.