Lu'ay al-Atassi

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Lu'ay al-Atassi
لؤي الأتاسي
Nazim al-Kudsi
Succeeded byAmin al-Hafiz
Personal details
Born1926
1948 Arab-Israeli War

Lu'ay al-Atassi (

Arabic: لؤي الأتاسي, romanized: Luʾayy al-ʾAtāsī; 1926 − 24 November 2003)[1] was a Syrian military officer who served as the President of Syria
from 9 March to 27 July 1963.

Early life and career

Atassi was born in

pan-Arabist policies. Atassi was among the Syrian officers who lobbied for unity with Egypt, which was realized in February 1958 with the formation of the United Arab Republic (UAR).[2]

Atassi criticized Syria's secession from the union in September 1961 after a military coup in 1961.

Mezzeh Prison.[2]

President of Syria

Salah Bitar (left) during tripartite unity discussions between Egypt, Syria and Iraq
in Cairo, early April 1963

On 8 March 1963, a coalition of Arab nationalist officers organized by the

Military Committee of the Ba'ath Party launched a military coup, toppling the secessionist government of Nazim al-Qudsi. The officers immediately freed Atassi and appointed him to the National Council for the Revolutionary Command, the effective interim government of the country,[2] and made him president on 23 March. Atassi was a politically independent Arab nationalist and was made Chief-of Staff after its execution.[4] From the Committee's standpoint, Atassi was ideal for the position because he lacked a support base and thus posed no threat to the junta's supremacy. His presidential powers were limited, and in practice he served more as a figurehead leader.[5]

On 18 July Atassi led a Syrian delegation to Alexandria, Egypt, to repair Syrian government relations with Nasser after dozens of Nasserist officers were purged from their high-ranking posts between late April and early May by the Military Committee. On the same day, Nasserist officer Jassem Alwan led a coup against the Ba'athists, but failed. Many people were killed in the coup attempt and 20 participating officers were executed by Ba'athist-dominated government. Disapproving of the manner in which the coup officers were dealt with, Atassi resigned on 27 July.[6] Thereafter, he retired from all political activity.[5]

Later life and death

Atassi lived the remainder of his life in Homs, until his death in November 2003.[5]

References

  1. ^ "زي النهاردة.. وفاة الرئيس السوري الأسبق لؤي الأتاسي 24 نوفمبر 2003 | المصري اليوم".
  2. ^ a b c d Moubayed, 2006, p. 174.
  3. ^ Rabinovich, 1972, p. 34.
  4. ^ Rabinovich, 1972, p. 52.
  5. ^ a b c Moubayed, 2006, p. 175.
  6. ^ Rabinovich, 1972, pp. 70-72.

Bibliography

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