Dr. Elias Abdallah in front of his family home in Izraa (Daraa), on July 21, 2025. (Credit: Caroline Hayek/L'Orient-Le Jour)
It was May 2004. In the hushed atmosphere at the Syrian consulate in Geneva, diplomats and journalists exchanged polite small talk. It was a dance of appearances, where everyone was expected to wear a mask — most importantly, never mention the name of the president who had succeeded his late father four years earlier, except in flattering terms. Many knew that the image of Bashar al-Assad as a great reformer was an illusion, carefully maintained by the regime’s propaganda to meet Western expectations. Back home, tensions were high, particularly after the March crackdown in the northeast against the Kurds, and because economic reforms had fallen short of reviving a country riddled with corruption. On this spring morning, the Syrian representation was keen to put on its best face, announcing a partnership with a luxury brand.But there was...
It was May 2004. In the hushed atmosphere at the Syrian consulate in Geneva, diplomats and journalists exchanged polite small talk. It was a dance of appearances, where everyone was expected to wear a mask — most importantly, never mention the name of the president who had succeeded his late father four years earlier, except in flattering terms. Many knew that the image of Bashar al-Assad as a great reformer was an illusion, carefully maintained by the regime’s propaganda to meet Western expectations. Back home, tensions were high, particularly after the March crackdown in the northeast against the Kurds, and because economic reforms had fallen short of reviving a country riddled with corruption. On this spring morning, the Syrian representation was keen to put on its best face, announcing a partnership with a luxury brand.But there...
