The Syrian political scene witnessed a dramatic shift with the appointment of Ahmad al-Sharaa, the former leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as President of Syria on January 29, 2025, following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia. From the head of an armed jihadi faction to the leader of a state, this transformation was a political shock that redrew the map of political Islam in Syria and the wider region, raising deep questions about the future relationship between ideological identity and the necessities of governance.
From Jihadi Factions to State Authority
Ahmad al-Sharaa quickly moved to dissolve the Ba’ath Party’s institutions, abolish previous constitutions, integrate armed factions into the new national army, and form a transitional government with a provisional legislative council. He declared the priorities of this stage to be civil peace, fighting corruption, transitional justice, and minority protection, alongside rebuilding a shattered state.
Mustafa Amin Amer, an Egyptian researcher specializing in extremist movements, told +963 that this path reflects a “deliberate pragmatism” consistent with Sharaa’s project since his time as Abu Muhammad al-Joulani. According to Amer, Sharaa “succeeded in shifting his project from cross-border jihadist ideology to a local model more closely tied to Syrian realities, enabling him to rally popular and factional support and transition from jihadi leadership to state leadership.
Amer adds that this Syrian experience is distinct from those of political Islam in Egypt, Tunisia, or Morocco, where the Muslim Brotherhood’s attempts at governance failed. In Syria, the project emerged from armed groups that toppled the previous regime, making it difficult to compare or generalize.
Political Islam Between Identity and Governance
The shift from armed faction to transitional authority produced a clear dilemma: how can Islamists balance their ideological identity, rooted in the banner of resistance against Israel, with the demands of governance and political stability? So far, the answer has come at the expense of identity, as the Palestinian cause has been sidelined in favor of internal priorities such as reconstruction and economic development.
Amer explains that this retreat was less an ideological choice than a set of “pragmatic calculations tied to a network of regional and international alliances.” The new regime, he argues, sought to build relations with the United States and secure sanctions relief, which required reframing its political discourse in line with the interests of Washington and its allies, even if at the expense of the “central cause.”
Israel… Understandings Without Declaration
Although no official normalization or agreements with Israel have been announced, political and security indicators suggest the existence of behind-the-scenes channels. Israel seeks to secure calm along its northern border, while the transitional regime is eager to avoid confrontations that could destabilize its project of consolidating authority.
Military and strategic expert Nidal Abu Zaid told +963 that “current indicators point to an advanced track toward a Syrian–Israeli security arrangement.”
He revealed that preliminary talks were held in Baku and Europe, mediated by Turkey, with the aim of reaching an understanding to limit Israeli strikes and prevent exploitation of Syria’s sectarian card.
However, he stresses that Damascus refuses to turn this into a “comprehensive peace treaty,” maintaining instead that it is a temporary security arrangement to avoid an uneven confrontation, while Israel views it as a first step toward a broader political settlement.
He also warns of the risk that “Israel could infiltrate Syria’s nascent security apparatus,” particularly as these institutions remain inexperienced and are being rebuilt with Turkish support inspired by NATO doctrine.
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Between International Pressures and Eroding Identity
The imperatives of governance have driven the new Syrian political Islam toward a significant retreat from its previous nationalist and religious discourse. With pragmatic openness to Israel, Sharaa faces a complex equation: securing international and regional support through moderate policies while losing legitimacy within his Islamist base.
Political writer and researcher Youssef Diab argues that talk of “normalization” remains premature, stressing that Sharaa “does not act from Islamist or fundamentalist ideologies but from a national vision aimed at building a plural and diverse state.”
He adds in remarks to +963 that Sharaa enjoys noticeable Arab support, demonstrated most clearly in his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who later arranged a historic encounter between him and U.S. President Donald Trump in Riyadh.
According to Diab, this Arab backing, paired with international oversight, grants Sharaa strong external legitimacy. But it does not absolve him of internal challenges, particularly the need to restore trust with Syrian society, especially segments that see his course as a betrayal of central Islamic causes.
Sharaa’s presidency thus represents the greatest test of political Islam in its modern history. Amer contends that Shar’a has redefined his project from transnational jihadi leadership to a local governance model aimed at state-building.
Abu Zaid, for his part, views the security track with Israel as a necessary step to safeguard Syria’s internal stability, despite the risks it poses to independent decision-making.
Meanwhile, Youssef Diab maintains that Shar’a is steering Syria with a national vision supported by both Arab and international actors, distancing himself from fundamentalist Islamist discourse.
