What did the artist George Wassouf say after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime?

The famous Syrian artist, George Wassouf, known for his positions in support of the deposed President Bashar al-Assad, commented a week after the fall of the regime and Assad’s escape to Russia.

Wassef posted a tweet on his official social media pages, saying: “I wish my country, Syria, a bright and inclusive future, filled with love, stability and prosperity, a future worthy of its dear people.”

This is the first public position of the famous Syrian artist, known in Syria as the "Sultan of Tarab", after Bashar al-Assad fled the country and his regime collapsed, following the lightning attack launched by the armed opposition factions.

I wish my country Syria a bright and inclusive future filled with love, stability and prosperity, a future worthy of its dear people.

— Georges Wassouf (@wassouf) December 14, 2024

He was known for his friendship with the former Syrian president, and made several public visits to him, the recordings of which were published in the media.

Wassef, who was close to the Assad family, had released a song following the death of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father.

The lyrics of the song released to mourn the father Assad in 2000 were, "The hero has departed and the sun has set on the country... The lion has departed and the world has stood in mourning for him."

During a television interview in 2014, Wassouf strongly defended Bashar al-Assad, describing him as kind and compassionate, and as someone who "hates blood."

Wassouf paid a private visit to Assad to congratulate him after he was declared the winner of the presidential elections that were being held in Syria at the time.

He used to say and will repeat that "Bashar al-Assad is my president and the crown on my head. I am a person who loves my country and I love the president of my country."

It is noteworthy that the visit, in which Bashar al-Assad honored the artist George Wassouf, also witnessed the first public appearance of the ousted president's brother, Maher al-Assad, after an absence that lasted for years.

In 2016, Wassouf stated on a pro-Assad channel that he would sing on Valentine's Day in Damascus, "on orders from Bashar al-Assad."

Wassouf was planning to cancel his concert in Damascus, following the death of the mother of the ousted Syrian president, who refused to cancel the concert, according to Wassouf's statements.

Bashar had called Souf by phone and sent his representative, Safwan Abu Saadi, to offer his condolences following the death of his father, during the same year.

He also reiterated his support for Assad in 2017, when he stated in an interview with another Arab channel that Bashar is the best person, and that his love for him is not gratuitous or in vain.

Thanks to this post on his official pages, Wassef joins a large number of Syrian artists who have shifted from supporting Bashar’s regime and turning a blind eye to his crimes to supporting political change following the overthrow of his regime.

Although many of these artists, such as Ayman Zidan, Suzan Najm Al-Din, and Sulaf Fawakherji, took the initiative to explain their positions and apologize for supporting the Assad regime in the past, the wounds of the war that lasted for about 14 years may be difficult to heal, and the gap that existed between supporters and opponents of the regime is still large.

Source: Alhurra website