A new article published by the IDF's Ma'arachot journal, produced in partnership with the Moshe Dayan Center, analyzes how Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is entrenching a religious-political order in Syria that reshapes public space and regulates religion, echoing Muslim Brotherhood influence — despite his cooperation with the international anti-ISIS coalition.
The article, by researcher Ro'i Nechmias of the Moshe Dayan Center, published on Ma'arachot's website, examines the dual track of the al-Sharaa administration: tactical international engagement alongside domestic Islamization. The analysis warns that al-Sharaa's cooperation with the West and the anti-ISIS coalition should not be interpreted as abandonment of a religious vision. Instead, it is framed as a pragmatic move to end Syria's isolation and bolster domestic and international legitimacy, while quietly advancing a new religious-political order that regulates public life — including through measures such as restrictions on alcohol. The article is part of a collaboration between the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies (Tel Aviv University) and the IDF's Ma'arachot publishing house. The analysis does not cite specific new intelligence or events; it offers an expert assessment of trends since al-Sharaa assumed power in the post-Assad period.
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