Bashar al-Assad

Hafiz al-Assad died on 10 June 2000, after 30 years in power. Immediately following al-Assad's death, the Parliament amended the constitution, reducing the mandatory minimum age of the President from 40 to 34. This allowed his son, Bashar al-Assad, to become legally eligible for nomination by the ruling Baath party. On 10 July 2000, Bashar al-Assad was elected President by referendum in which he ran unopposed, garnering 97.29% of the vote, according to Syrian Government statistics. He was inaugurated into office on 17 July 2000 for a 7-year term.[25] He is married to Asma al-Assad, an activist herself and advocate of reforms.[38]

Under Bashar al-Assad hundreds of political prisoners were released and a steps were taken towards easing media restrictions.[dubious – discuss] However, Bashar al-Assad has made it clear that his priority is economic rather than political reform.[39]

The summer of 2000 saw the birth of Damascus Spring after the arrival of President Bashar al-Assad to power, and his inauguration speech. This Spring did not last long, it ended in autumn 2001 when the security bodies froze the activities of intellectual, cultural and political forums. Although it lasted for a short period (6 months), it saw intensive political discussions and social debates. It still echoes during the political, cultural and intellectual debates in Syria today.

Damascus Spring was seen by many as the opportunity towards democratic change in Syria, in line with power and society, which may spare the country a lot of bumps. Especially the presence of national Syrian opposition, which believes in a peaceful and gradual change, and the emergence of Islamists position close to the positions of the other opposition.

On 5 October 2003, Israel bombed a site near Damascus, charging it was a terrorist training facility for members of Islamic Jihad. The raid was in retaliation for the bombing of a restaurant in the Israeli town of Haifa that killed 19. Islamic Jihad said the camp was not in use; Syria said the attack was on a civilian area.[40]

The United States moved closer to imposing sanctions on Syria, following the adoption of the Syria Accountability Act by the House of Representatives International Relations committee.[41] Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah, all included in what the EU and the U.S view as terrorist groups, all take refuge and enjoy strong relationships with the Syrian government.

Syrian Kurds protest in Brussels, Geneva, in Germany at the US and UK embassies and in Turkey, against violence in north-east Syria starting Friday, 12 March 2004, and reportedly extending over the weekend resulting in several deaths, according to reports. The Kurds allege the Syrian government encouraged and armed the attackers. Signs of rioting were seen in the towns of Qameshli and Hassakeh.[42]

On 6 September 2007, Israeli jet fighters carried out an air strike in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate, known as Operation Orchard, on a target claimed to be a nuclear reactor under construction by North Korean technicians. Reportedly a number of the technicians were killed

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