Syria and the Abraham Path Initiative (API): The Intersection of Religion and Tourism with Domestic and Regional Politics under Bashar al-Asad
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Abstract
Founded in 2006, the Abraham Path Initiative (API) is an apolitical, non-religious organization originally sponsored by Harvard University to establish a series of walking trails in the Middle East that follow the legendary travels of the Prophet Abraham, the common patriarch of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. API aims to inspire cross-cultural exchange and mutual understanding. This paper charts the internal struggle within the Syrian regime over whether and how to engage with this initiative. In so doing it exposes the constraints on Asad from the covert resistance of the security services which feared the initiative would lead to concessions to Israel.
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