Syrian rebel leader’s victory speech sends message to Iran, but also to Trump and Israel

Abu Mohammad al-Jolani’s road to Damascus was long. He has been open about his changes. From young al-Qaeda fighters two decades ago to rebel commanders espousing sectarian tolerance.

Along the way, he has had ample time to plan where and how he will mark his arrival and fine-tune his narrative – one he addresses to those who brought him to power, those who might bring him down and others who message conveyed.

It is no surprise that the Islamist rebel chose Damascus’s venerated Umayyad Mosque – not a TV studio, nor newly absented presidential palace, but a place of towering religious significance, which at 1,300 years old is one of the world’s most ancient mosques – to deliver that message.

“My brothers, this victory is a victory for the entire Islamic nation,” he told his small entourage, who stumbled behind him against the glorious backdrop of the mosque’s unique black and white stone.

This is a message to all those who brought him to power and drove his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters to move at breakneck speed across Syria to overthrow President Bashir Assad.

It was also a message to the newly liberated Syrians. “My brothers, this victory is the grace of Almighty God and was achieved after the sacrifice of martyrs, widows and orphans. My brothers, this victory was achieved through the suffering of those who suffered incarceration ,” he said.

In a country where the God you choose and the way you pray can define your class, limit your aspirations and pit you against your neighbors, Jolani sent a very clear signal at the Umayyad Mosque. He is a Sunni Muslim and part of Syria’s majority. Assad is an Alawite. There are Christians, Druze, Shia Muslims, Ismailis and so on.

Yet his choice of words seems designed to break down these old boundaries. “My brothers, this new victory marks a new chapter in the region’s history, a history fraught with dangers that have made Syria a playground for Iranian ambitions, spreading sectarianism and fomenting corruption,” he said.

Singling out Iran seems to be a message to the theocracy in Tehran – that their interference is over, easy overland access for their mega-proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon is over, and their support for Hezbollah in Syria is over, The homes they once had are gone too.

But Jolani knew that word was spreading in Tel Aviv and Washington that he was considered a member of a banned terrorist organization with a $10 million bounty on his head. The message to them is that “the new Syria understands your interests,” and he understands that these forces have the power to defeat him.

Jolani has taken pains during his campaign trip to Damascus to ensure that U.S. President Joe Biden and even President-elect Donald Trump were aware of his intentions. It was no coincidence that in the days before Assad was overthrown, he chose the US television network CNN (rather than Arab television) for a major interview, claiming that he had broken away from other jihadists because of their brutal tactics.

Hours later, Biden said he heard Jolani “say the right things” but insisted the rebel leader would be judged by his actions.

Giolani’s message also targeted regional powers whose support he needs to maintain, promising a cleanup. “Syria is being cleansed,” he said, referring to the country’s reputation in the region as a drug state, saying Syria under Assad had “become the world’s leading source of the amphetamine-type drug Captagon” and a major contributor to regional crime. Primary source of activity.

Jolani’s mosque speech was about arrival and survival. However, his actions will ensure the latter’s safety.

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