DAMASCUS, Syria – Syria’s interim president signed a temporary constitution on Thursday that paves the way for Islamist rule in the country for five years during a transitional phase. The nation’s interim rulers have been facing challenges in establishing authority across Syria since the Islamist insurgent group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led an insurgency that ousted President Bashar Assad in December.
Former HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa has been appointed as the country’s interim president, following a decision made during a meeting of armed groups involved in the offensive against Assad. The armed groups also agreed to annul the old constitution and draft a new one.
While many celebrated the end of the Assad family’s oppressive regime that lasted over 50 years, religious and ethnic minorities remain wary of the new Islamist leaders and are hesitant to allow Damascus to take control of their areas. The temporary constitution, drafted by a committee led by al-Sharaa, maintains some provisions from the old constitution but also includes rights such as freedom of expression and the press.
The interim constitution aims to balance social security and freedom amidst Syria’s fragile political situation. A new committee will be formed to draft a permanent constitution, but there are concerns about how inclusive it will be of Syria’s diverse political, religious, and ethnic groups.
Recently, a significant agreement was reached between al-Sharaa and US-backed Kurdish-led authorities in northeastern Syria, leading to a ceasefire and the integration of their armed forces with the central government’s security agencies. This agreement followed a government-led counteroffensive against gunmen loyal to Assad, resulting in retaliatory attacks that claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians from the Alawite minority sect.
The interim constitution outlines a timeline for Syria’s political transition out of the interim phase, estimating up to three years for the rewriting of the constitution and up to five years for organizing and conducting elections. The success of the transition is crucial for the US and Europe to consider lifting sanctions imposed during Assad’s rule, with a focus on creating an inclusive political system that protects minorities.
In addition to these developments, an Israeli airstrike targeted an apartment building in a suburb of Damascus on Thursday, injuring three individuals, one critically. Israel claimed that the strike was aimed at a command center of the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, accusing it of directing attacks against Israel. Israel has vowed to respond decisively to the presence of Palestinian militant groups in Syria, with Defense Minister Israel Katz warning of further attacks if terrorist activities against Israel persist.
A member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad present at the scene of the airstrike mentioned that the targeted apartment belonged to the group’s leader but had been vacant for years, with the leader not in Syria at the time of the attack. No casualties were reported from the strike.