Yesterday morning (Tuesday), one of the prominent Syrian politicians who witnessed the rule of the late President Hafez al-Assad passed away. The journey of former Syrian Vice President Abdul-Halim Khaddam ended at the age of 88, folding the modern Syrian history page of one of the key figures and policymakers.
Khaddam was the “black box” for President Hafez al-Assad, who admired his personality since they first met in Damascus. Khaddam accompanied him in his Ba’athist journey. Assad aspired to have Khaddam, a Sunni from the coastal city of Banias, by his side due to his charisma in political and Ba’athist circles. This move aimed to demonstrate that Assad’s rule embraced Syria’s diversity in terms of sects.
Khaddam, holding a law degree, was a prominent figure in his circle. He held important positions in his career, starting from being the governor of Hama to the Minister of Trade and Economy. Assad then chose him as the political face to represent Syrian foreign policy at the end of 1970, during one of the toughest periods in Syria and the most critical phases of Assad’s rule.
Khaddam got a new lease on life in 1977 when he survived an assassination attempt. Saif Saeed Ghabash, the first Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in the UAE, fell victim to the attack. Terrorists attempted to shoot Khaddam, but the bullets deviated and hit the Emirati minister. After that incident, Khaddam became one of Assad’s closest confidants, keeping his secrets.
After Assad’s death in 2006, Khaddam saw no importance in continuing his political work due to the purge campaign within the old guard following Bashar’s assumption of power. He decided to leave the country, announcing his separation from the regime of the son and the ruling system, choosing Paris as his final destination.
However, controversy surrounds Khaddam. The Muslim Brotherhood views him as responsible for the Hama massacre in 1982. Meanwhile, the new opposition generation holds him responsible for burying the opposition movement, represented by the so-called “Damascus Spring.” In 2001, during the “Damascus Spring,” Khaddam was present at Damascus University and stated that they did not want Syria to become another Algeria.
