Hashim al-Atassi

Hashim al-Atassi was a Syrian nationalist and statesman who served as the president of Syria three times in his life. He was born in Homs in 1875 to a prominent and wealthy family. He studied public administration in Istanbul and began his political career as an Ottoman official in various provinces of Syria. He became a member of the Syrian National Congress in 1919 and was elected as its chairman. He declared Syria's independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1920 and became the prime minister under King Faisal I. However, his government was soon dissolved by the French forces who occupied Syria under the mandate system. He opposed the French rule and led the National Bloc, the main resistance movement, in negotiating a treaty for Syrian independence in 1936. He was elected as the first president of Syria under the new constitution, but resigned in 1939 when the French refused to ratify the treaty. He returned to power in 1949 after a series of military coups and was re-elected as president in 1950. He tried to maintain a neutral stance in the Cold War and the Arab-Israeli conflict, but faced internal opposition from the military and the Ba'ath Party. He resigned again in 1951 after a failed assassination attempt. He was recalled to the presidency in 1954 after the fall of Adib Shishakli's dictatorship and restored the 1936 constitution. He supported the idea of a union with Egypt and other Arab states, but resigned for the last time in 1955 when he realized that the union would undermine Syria's sovereignty. He retired to his hometown of Homs and died there in 1960 from a heart attack. He is widely regarded as one of the most respected and influential leaders in Syrian history.