Suche
Mein Konto
Scandal in Damascus: Baerbock does not receive a handshake from those in power!
Annalena Baerbock did not receive a handshake from the new ruler al-Sharaa during her visit to Damascus, which raises the issue of women's rights.
Scandal in Damascus: Baerbock does not receive a handshake from those in power!
During a surprise visit to Syria, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock experienced a humiliating rejection: the new ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa refused to shake her hand, while he politely extended his hand to her French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot. According to reports from Krone.at and oe24.at This incident occurred in the former palace of the deposed dictator Bashar al-Assad in Damascus. Baerbock commented calmly on the scandal: “It was already clear to me when I arrived that there would obviously be unusual handshakes here.” The symbolic act shows the influence of Islamist currents and raises questions about the future direction of Syria under the new regime.
In the capital Damascus, representatives of the Islamist HTS militia did not offer Baerbock a handshake upon their arrival, but instead indicated a bow. Baerbock took this as an opportunity to disapprove of the practice, but also to emphasize that it was expected from the outset. In a conversation with al-Sharaa, Baerbock and Barrot also emphasized that women's rights are crucial for the degree of freedom in a society. The refused handshake has sparked concern among experts; Volker Perthes, former head of the Science and Politics Foundation, assessed the gesture as a “bad sign” that was known not only in Syria, but also in other countries with conservative Islamic governments.
Conversation about women's rights
The reception took place under the shadow of recent political upheaval - just four weeks after the fall of the Assad regime. As Baerbock and Barrot made their position clear, another notable moment occurred: Al-Sharaa initially seemed unwilling to even offer the handshake, reinforcing the assumption that women may have a subordinate role in the new Syria. The diplomatic incident not only calls for caution, but also for monitoring future developments in the country, which is currently in transition.