In early January, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) had to accept that Syria’s new ruler, Ahmed al-Sharaa, did not shake her hand when she greeted her. Fortunately, things changed when she met her Syrian counterpart in Saudi Arabia.
Baerbock and Syrian de facto Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaybani met at a Syria conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh. Both greeted each other with a handshake (see message below).
No handshake in Damascus
The scene was notable because a highly publicized scandal had occurred about a week earlier. During Baerbock’s visit to the Syrian capital Damascus, de facto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa refused to shake her hand. At the same time, he reached out to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot (see message below).
Baerbock emphasized at the time that it was “clear” to her when she arrived “that there will clearly be no regular handshakes here.” But it was also made clear to the hosts that they disapproved of this practice.
The handshake between a strange man and a strange woman is unusual among believers in Islamic societies and is even forbidden from the point of view of some legal scholars. But there is no clear rule and no dominant religious practice.
After the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad, Syria and internationally are keeping a close eye on whether the transitional government that emerged from the Islamist group HTS respects the rights of women and allows them to participate in public life.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
