 The first page of the first issue of newspaper | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Compact |
| Owner | Syrian Regional Branch of theArab Socialist Ba'ath Party |
| Publisher | Abdullah al-Ahmar |
| Founded | 1948; 77 years ago (1948) |
| Political alignment | Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region |
| Language | Arabic |
| Headquarters | Damascus,Syria |
| Country | Syria |
| Website | albaathmedia.sy/ |
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Al-Ba'ath (Arabic:البعث,lit. 'The Resurrection') is anArabic languagenewspaper published by theBa'ath Party inSyria and other Arab countries and territories, includingLebanon andPalestine.
Al-Ba'ath was founded in 1948[1] (according to other sources, in 1946[2][3][4]), but the newspaper applied for a publishing license as early as 1943,[5] as an organ of theArab Socialist Ba'ath Party of Syria.[6] The government's main condition at the time was that the newspaper not be named after the party (which ultimately did not happen). At the time of its founding,Michel Aflaq became the newspaper's political director, andSalah ad-Din al-Bitar became the executive director.[5] In 1962, the newspaper was ordered closed, but theBa'athists failed to be suppressed - the party's national command continued and intensified its attacks on the government, clearly demonstrating its hostility towards it.[7]
After theBa'ath Party came to powerin 1963, the number of newspapers permitted for publication was greatly reduced - previously this figure had reached 74, but now only three were permitted for publication:al-Thawra,Tishreen and al-Ba'ath (little-known and regional newspapers are not taken into account).[8] In 1965, the daily circulation of the newspaper was estimated at 10,000 copies.[9] The newspaper was described as socialist but anti-Nasserist:[9] For example, the newspaper stated that theunion between Syria andEgypt "only is wrong and harmful", and was "surrender to emotionalism of masses".[10] The newspaper also announced in 1966 the transformation of thearmy into an ideological instrument to achieve the transition tosocialism. On October 19 of the same year, the newspaper announced the recent formation and mobilization of the Syrian People's Army and the workers' and peasants' militia with the aim of "protect the revolution against its enemies at home and abroad."[11] After theSyrian intervention started in 1976, the newspaper began covering theLebanese Civil War.[12][13] Al-Ba'ath newspaper also made repeated attacks on leader ofBa'athist Iraq,Saddam Hussein, with whom Syria hadserious disagreements: for example, in 1980 it called him a pervert.[14]
In addition to the daily, there are also three more state-owned papers in Syria:Al Thawra,Tishreen andSyria Times.[15][needs update?]Al-Ba'ath is based inDamascus.[16] From 2002 to 2004Mahdi Dakhlallah was theeditor-in-chief ofAl-Ba'ath.[17][18]
The newspaper became one of the main sources of government propaganda. In 2011, before the revolutioncame to Syria, al-Ba'ath newspaper enthusiastically celebrated the regional uprisings of the Arab Spring and even the overthrow of autocrats (especiallyEgyptian dictatorHosni Mubarak).[19] Since the start of theSyrian civil war, it has constantly reported on famine and economic problems in countries that took actions againstBashar al-Assad's regime.[20] Following thefall of the Assad regime, theeditorial board ofAl-Ba'ath published a statement announcing its intention to continue publishing and its support of theSyrian transitional government.[21]
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