Syrian Social Nationalist Party – Intifada Wing Explained

The Syrian Social Nationalist Party – Intifada Wing or Abd al-Masih Wing is a splinter group of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.^[1]

The split had its roots in how George Abd al-Masih had utilized his post as SSNP chairman to order the assassination of Adnan al-Malki in April 1954, in order to settle a personal score and without consulting the party leadership. The killing of al-Malik brought upon SSNP a massive crack-down in Syria.^[2] After his expulsion from SSNP in 1957, Abd al-Masih continued to operate his own faction.^{[3] [4]} The Abd al-Masih wing remained a relatively small force.^[3] Abd al-Masih still led the group as of the 1980s.^[5]

The party traditionally did not contest elections in Lebanon.^[6] During the civil uprising phase of the Syrian Civil War followers of the party participated in support of the Syrian government and the Syrian Arab Army.^[7] As of 2018 the party is led by Dr. Ali Haidar, the incumbent Minister of Reconciliation in Syria.^[6] Ali Haidar's SSNP supported the re-election of Bashar al-Assad.^[8]

Notes and References

1. Lebanon Debate. جناح الانتفاضة بـ"القومي": لن نجير أصواتنا للسلطة
2. Book: Sami M. Moubayed. Steel & Silk: Men and Women who Shaped Syria 1900–2000. 2006. Cune Press. 978-1-885942-40-1. 288.
3. Book: Harvard Middle Eastern Monograph Series. Center for Middle Eastern Studies of Harvard University. 70–71.
4. Book: Peter Mansfield. Royal Institute of International Affairs. Information Dept. The Middle East: a political and economic survey. 1973. Oxford University Press. 73. 978-0-19-215933-5.
5. Book: Daniel Pipes. Greater Syria: The History of an Ambition. 1992. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-506022-5. 125.
6. Al Kalima. خاص – القومي برئاسة حيدر يخرق العرف.. ويرشّح إثنين للإنتخابات
7. Web site: The SSNP 'Hurricane' in the Syrian conflict: Syria and South Lebanon Are The Same Battlefield. Al-Akhbar in English. https://web.archive.org/web/20181002171756/https://english.al-akhbar.com/node/18502. 2018-10-02.
8. Web site: SSNP Supports Bashar al-Assad's Presidential Nomination. 7 May 2014. 3 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141103112632/http://tishreen.news.sy/tishreen/public/read/315368. 3 November 2014. dead. dmy-all.