What a farce! The HTS is still designated a terrorist organisation by most Western countries, including Germany and France, and its leader, who until recently went by the nom de guerre Al-Jolani, had a $10 million bounty on his head. But then the purpose of this visit was to reassure the world that the HTS is now a moderate group the West can deal with and that Al-Sharaa has changed his ideology and world view just as quickly has he shed his jihadist robe to don a revolutionary-style military uniform, dropping his nom de guerre to reassume his real name, and changed the name of his organisation from Al-Qaeda, to the Nusra Front to HTS.

Before this visit, Al-Sharaa had given statements and TV interviews to the Western media saying he would form a civil government and that he would not force women to take the veil. Also ahead of the visit, Baerbock stated that women’s rights are not only about women’s freedom but about human freedoms in general.

When she and Barrot arrived in Syria, it was clear the spirit and doctrines of Al-Qaeda/Nusra were thriving, including the prohibition against men and women shaking hands. These teachings, which prevail today in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, have been in effect for several years in Idlib under HTS rule. They are now being universalised across Syria, which was liberated from Al-Assad’s rule with the support and blessing of the US-led West, including France and Germany, the first to send senior ministers to pay court to the new regime in Damascus.

To their surprise, or so it appeared, Syria’s new officials do not shake hands with women. Baerbock came and left without a single handshake, starting with Al-Sharaa who received them at the airport, though he shook hands with Barrot.

Who is the West trying to fool with all the fake rebranding of HTS and Al-Sharaa being hyped in the Western media? Surely no one apart from themselves. Because, at least here in Egypt, we uncovered that deception in 2013, and we will not be fooled again.  

* A version of this article appears in print in the 16 January, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly