Henry Hamra's historic bid for Syrian Parliament marks a new era for Syrian Jewish politics

Syrian-American Henry Hamra’s neoteric candidacy in Damascus for a seat in the parliament elections represents a dramatic moment in the Syrian political landscape. Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa nixed the nearly six-decade-long ban on Jewish political participation. The efforts and commitment of the transitional government are aimed at promoting pluralism. The exclusion of Syrian Jews from politics was not sudden but began decades earlier, even before it became legal. In 1947, the last known Jewish member was elected to the Syrian parliament and was immediately accompanied by the anti-Jewish violence spurring mass emigration following the formation of the State of Israel. The marginalisation of Jews by subsequent Ba’athist regimes was institutionalised, barring them from government service, and they were even prohibited from owning necessities like telephones or a driver’s license. Their identity as a suspected population within the state was rigidified through mechanisms that legally required their religion to be noted on their passports and national identity cards.

The capture and public execution in Marjeh Square, Damascus,of Israeli spy Eli Cohen in 1965 remains the most consequential impetus for converting systemic discrimination into an absolute political prohibition. This event, coupled with escalating military hostilities, provided the regime with the necessary justification to formally designate the entire Jewish community as an internal security threat. Following the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Jews were explicitly and legally barred from seeking political office in Syria, and the 58-year ban has ended with Hamra’s candidacy.

Mahin Siddiqui

Over the years, the Jewish community has become virtually extinct, which Hamra seeks to represent. As of today, only six known Jews are living in Syria, following a devastating demographic collapse after the travel ban was lifted in 1992, when fewer than ten remained in the capital. This number is starkly contrasting with the Syrian Jewish diaspora in the US and Israel. Hamra, the son of the former Chief Rabbi of Syrian Jews in New York, embodies a bridge figure connecting the historical community with the post-conflict Syrian state. His candidacy, and the visit by a Syrian Jewish delegation in February 2025 to pray at the Old City’s Elfarange synagogue (the first such event in decades), confirm the Al-Sharaa regime’s new overtures to minorities. By symbolically returning to contest the election from Damascus, the historical capital of Syrian Jewish communal life, Hamra signals an attempt to reclaim the Jewish narrative within the national identity after decades of official repression.

“Towards a Flourishing, Tolerant and Just Syria” was Hamra’s campaign slogan, focusing on two key pillars of internal reform: the adoption of a modern constitution that guarantees equal rights to everyone, and safeguarding Christian, Islamic, and specifically Jewish traditions as part of the national identity. Since the fall of the Assad regime, the first parliamentary elections were held on 5 October 2025; however, they were designed in such a way that they immediately became subject to scrutiny and were labelled as a “controlled experiment.” The electoral process was highly centralised, with a 210-seat legislature where local electoral committees select two-thirds(140 members) through indirect polls, while the remaining one-third (70 members) are directly appointed by the interim President. Despite its symbolism, Henry Hamra was not elected to the Syrian parliament. Only six women and 10 members of religious and ethnic minorities were able to win seats in the People’s Assembly on Sunday.

The political drama does not halt at the ballot; in fact, there is still hope for Hamra’s win, as Sharaa holds the authority to appoint one-third of the members. While ensuring representation remains executive-driven, if Sharaa appoints Hamra, it will reconstruct the defeat into victory, fulfilling the symbolic promise of Jewish inclusion. However, it is a deep paradox that the Jewish voice enters Syrian politics precisely at the moment when the Jewish population has significantly vanished in the country. This highlights the tragedy of Jews in Syria and what will Hamra represent or revive? Even if appointed by the interim president, will Hamra be the phoenix who will make the Jews rise from the ashes?

The author is a doctoral candidate at the Centre for West Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.