There is a huge misconception that Syria's Alawite community was a major benefactor of the Assad regime. But nothing is further from the truth. Al Majalla explains.
In its public statements, the Syrian government has long supported the Palestinian cause. In reality, the Assads sought to stymie the PLO, whose famous leader, Yasser Arafat, never trusted Damascus.
Although it scored some achievements, the Syrian Union was controversial from the start and became a huge headache for the French Mandate, which dissolved it after two years
A flag that has become synonymous with opposition to Assad rule was actually the flag of the first Syrian Republic under French mandate. Al Majalla debunks regime lies about what this flag represents.
One of Syria's four largest cities, Hama's history pre-dates Christianity. However, it is most famously known for a bloody assault carried out by Hafez al-Assad in 1982, which killed thousands.
UN Resolution 181 was never implemented, and instead of getting half of their ancestral homeland, the Palestinians got nothing; 77 years later, the situation remains as bleak as ever.
Forty-seven years ago, Sadat prayed at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and addressed the Knesset. His visit to Israel rendered him an outcast in the Arab world until he was assassinated on 6 October 1981.
After suffering a huge blow militarily, Hezbollah is now forced to show political flexibility. By backing Aoun, it tried to position his win as a victory over Israel's preferred candidate, Geagea.
In his first term, Trump nurtured mutual economic and security interests with Saudi Arabia, but an evolving geopolitical landscape could mean a changed US approach
An army chief who impressed both at home and abroad in recent years was handed a six-year term to fill the void in this important but largely ceremonial role. Who is he, and what is on his to-do list?
During the French Mandate, Syria's women's movement went from grassroots protest to established force, setting up schools, helping the poor, and calling for rights and votes