Nureddin al-Atassi

Nureddin Al-Atassi, born in 1929 in Homs to an Arab family, and belonged to the renowned Al-Atassi family.{{cite web |title=Atassi, Nureddin (Mustafa) al- |url=http://rulers.org/indexa5.html#atassn |access-date=23 July 2012 |publisher=Rulers}} Following his mother's early death, he was brought up by his paternal grandfather, Judge Fuad Effendi al-Atassi. Surrounded by his grandfather's intellectual circles, which were populated by poets and scholars, Nureddin developed a deep admiration for Arabic poetry from an early stage in his life.{{Cite web |title=Syrian President Dr. Ahmed Nour al-Din bin Muhammad Ali bin Fouad bin Ahmed bin Muhammad Saeed al-Atassi |url=https://www.alatassi.net/view.php?action=article&id=56 |website=Atassi Family Website}}

Nureddin obtained his education in schools located in Homs and actively took part in the city's protests against French colonial rule throughout his early years. Despite being young, Nureddin's desire for reform motivated him to distribute pamphlets advocating for student disobedience in schools in Homs. However, his advocacy led to his arrest on one occasion prior to him turning fifteen years old.

In 1948, Atassi enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Damascus. Throughout his time in the city, he established his ties with influential individuals in the Baath Party, such as Akram Al-Hourani and Michel Aflaq, who were rising leaders in the party during that period. Atassi has been affiliated with the Baath Party since 1944.

During his time in Damascus, Atassi actively engaged with the student group associated with the Baath Party. He was elected as a representative and then became the president of the leadership body, serving from 1948 to 1955 until he graduated from the Faculty of Medicine.

File:Nasser,_Aref,_Boumieddin,_Atassi,_Azhari.jpg to discuss previous talks with Soviet leaders. From left to right: Abdul Rahman Arif of Iraq, Houari Boumediene of Algeria, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Atassi and Ismail al-Azhari of Sudan, July 1967]]

After completing his education, Atassi served his mandatory duty, during which he observed the tripartite invasion of Egypt in 1956. He stood with the Syrian army when they relocated to Jordan in a show of unity.{{cite news |title=Nour al-Din al-Atassi |url=https://syrmh.com/2019/02/22/%d9%86%d9%88%d8%b1-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d8%aa%d8%a7%d8%b3%d9%8a/ |work=Syrian Modern History |page=}}

Upon fulfilling his obligatory service, Atassi offered his assistance to the Algerian revolution, rendering medical aid to revolutionaries in close proximity to the Tunisian-Algerian border.{{Cite web |title=Syrian President Dr. Ahmed Nour al-Din bin Muhammad Ali bin Fouad bin Ahmed bin Muhammad Saeed al-Atassi |url=https://www.alatassi.net/view.php?action=article&id=56 |website=Atassi Family Website}} After returning to Syria, Atassi focused on general surgery at Damascus Hospital. Afterwards, he took jobs at other hospitals in Damascus. Following that, he went back to his native city of Homs, where he persisted in his medical profession, working at the National Hospital and managing his own private clinic.

Following the March 8, 1963 coup, Atassi was designated as the Minister of the Interior in Salah al-Din al-Bitar's third government. This government served from August 4, 1963, until November 12, 1963. Afterwards, he assumed the position of Minister of the Interior in the first government of Amin al-Hafiz, which was established on November 12, 1963, and held the position until May 14, 1964. In October 1964, he took on the position of Deputy Prime Minister in the second administration of Amin Al-Hafiz. This government began on October 3, 1964, and ended on May 23, 1965. In addition, he was designated as a member of the National Revolutionary Council on December 23, 1965.

{{see also|Ba'athist Syria}}

Shortly after the February 23, 1966 coup, Atassi assumed the role of head of state and Secretary-General of the Baath Party.

Throughout his time in office, Atassi implemented substantial projects and participated in important domestic and international activities. Significantly, he entered into a partnership with the Soviet Union to build the Euphrates Dam and issued other decrees targeting economic and social change. These initiatives encompassed the formation of the Land Bank, the implementation of the Economic Penal Code, and the foundation of the People's Army, which was affiliated with the Ministry of Defense. In November 1967, Atassi took the lead in establishing the Central Financial Supervision Organization and the People's Legislative Council. This happened after the revolution, which resulted in the suspension of parliament. In addition, he founded the Supreme State Security Court and streamlined travel for people to Arab Economic Unity countries by allowing them to use ID cards instead of visas.

File:Atassi_of_Syria_(Nureddin_al_Atassi_of_Syria_at_the_United_Nations,_New_York).tif at the United Nations, New York]]

Atassi became the first Syrian president to address the United Nations General Assembly after the June 1967 War. Atassi additionally assembled numerous conferences and presented speeches, such as the urgent assembly of the Central Council of the Arab Workers Union to express solidarity with the fight against the Jewish state (May 1967), the inaugural gathering of the Committee for Defending the Homeland and Protecting the Revolution in Hasakah (November 1967), and the Arab Lawyers Conference in Damascus (September 1967).

Atassi adopted a strong stance towards specific Arab nations, aligning with Salah Jadid in this regard. Significantly, he supported the dismantling of oil pipelines owned by the Iraq Petroleum Company that traverse Syrian land. In addition, Atassi suspended the transportation of oil across Syrian territory until the corporation complied with Syrian requests.

Furthermore, Atassi provided support to a range of movements and causes, including giving his full backing to the Eritrean campaign for independence. Upon Eritrea's declaration of war on Ethiopia and its pursuit of independence, Atassi promptly recognized and endorsed their cause. He rendered support by sending insurgent groups, providing instruction, monetary assistance, and weaponry. The help provided by Atassi played a crucial role in Eritrea's final accomplishment of independence, resulting in lasting gratitude from the Eritrean population.

Additionally, Atassi's government demonstrated unity with Lebanon in its demands for the removal of King Hussein bin Talal and offered assistance to Palestinian combatants. Atassi intervened to advocate for the Palestinian cause during the "Black September" period, issuing a public threat to invade Jordan in response to ongoing violence against Palestinians. He commanded the Syrian army to progress, ensuring the safety of the Jordanian border and seizing Irbid in order to protect Palestinian interests.

On November 13, 1970, Defense Minister Hafez al-Assad orchestrated a coup d'état known as the Corrective Movement, resulting in the overthrow of Atassi.{{cite news |date=5 December 1992 |title=Nureddin Atassi; Ex-President of Syria, Toppled in Coup |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-12-05-mn-1132-story.html |access-date=5 September 2010 |work=Los Angeles Times}}

Following the coup, Atassi, along with other government officials, was detained without undergoing a trial. He was imprisoned in Mezzeh prison in Damascus for a period of 22 years.{{cite news |title=Nureddin al-Atassi, 63; Former Syria President |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/05/obituaries/nureddin-al-atassi-63-former-syria-president.html |work=The New York Times |date=5 December 1992 |page=27}} In early 1992, Atassi suffered a severe heart attack, leading to his transfer to a military hospital. Subsequent medical examinations revealed esophageal cancer, prompting authorities to detain him in the hospital as a political prisoner. During this time, access to Atassi was restricted to his immediate family members only. Atassi remained hospitalized for several months, during which his health deteriorated rapidly as the cancer progressed, spreading to his liver. Eventually, authorities decided to release him from detention. Following his release, he was transferred to his residence in the city of Homs.

In November 1992, the French authorities became aware of Atassi's medical condition and extended an offer to provide him with medical treatment which was rejected by Syrian authorities until he came into a state of semi-consciousness. Afterwards, he was sent to Paris where he received medical treatment at the American Hospital of Paris.{{cite web |date=7 December 1992 |title=Further information on medical letter writing action- Syria: Dr Nour al-Din al-Atassi and others |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE24/029/1992/en |access-date=5 September 2010}} Despite medical treatment, Atassi died on December 3, 1992, at the age of 63. His body was transported the following day to Homs, where he was laid to rest in the Al-Atassi family cemetery in Kafr Aya.

{{Reflist}}

{{SyrianPresidents}}

{{SyrianPrimeMinisters}}

{{SyriaInterioreMinisters}}

{{Ba'ath Party}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atassi, Noureddin al-}}

Category:1929 births

Category:1992 deaths

Noureddin

Category:People from Homs

Category:Presidents of Syria

Category:Prime ministers of Syria

Category:Vice presidents of Syria

Category:Leaders ousted by a coup

Category:Members of the National Command of the Ba'ath Party (Syrian-dominated faction)

Category:Members of the Regional Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region

Category:Syrian Arab nationalists

Category:Syrian Sunni Muslims

Category:Syrian people of Turkish descent

Category:Heads of government who were later imprisoned