▁led ▁to ▁C yp ri ot ▁inter comm unal ▁violence ▁and ▁the ▁Turkish ▁invasion ▁of ▁Cy pr us . ▁The ▁Cy pr us ▁dispute ▁remains ▁un resol ved . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁mid - to - late ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁the ▁Arab ▁Social ist ▁Ba ' ath ▁Party ▁led ▁by ▁Michel ▁Af la q ▁and ▁Sal ah ▁al - D in ▁al - B itar ▁took ▁power ▁in ▁both ▁Ira q ▁and ▁Sy ria . ▁Ira q ▁was ▁first ▁ruled ▁by ▁Ah med ▁Hass an ▁al - B ak r , ▁but ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁S add am ▁Hus sein ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁and ▁Sy ria ▁was ▁ruled ▁first ▁by ▁a ▁Military ▁Committee ▁led ▁by ▁Sal ah ▁J ad id , ▁and ▁later ▁Ha fe z ▁al - Ass ad ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁his ▁son , ▁Bash ar ▁al - Ass ad . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁Egypt ▁under ▁N asser ' s ▁successor , ▁An war ▁Sad at , ▁concluded ▁a ▁peace ▁treat y ▁with ▁Israel , ▁ending ▁the ▁prospect s ▁of ▁a ▁un ited ▁Arab ▁military ▁front . ▁From ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁the ▁Palest ini ans , ▁led ▁by ▁Y asser ▁A raf at ' s ▁Palest ine ▁Liber ation ▁Organ ization , ▁res orted ▁to ▁a ▁prolong ed ▁campaign ▁of ▁violence ▁against ▁Israel ▁and ▁against ▁American , ▁Jewish , ▁and ▁western ▁targets ▁generally , ▁as