GAZIANTEP, Turkey — Since the establishment of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, commonly known as the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), in 2012, the Syrian opposition has been seeking a legitimate presence on the ground in the face of the Bashar al-Assad regime. To this end, in November 2013 it formed what it calls the Syrian Interim Government to operate inside Syria. Although the idea seemed a positive development, the government has yet to fully function in light of the ongoing war.

In May 2016, Jawad Abu Hatab was selected prime minister of the interim government, winning the votes of 68 of 98 members of the coalition’s exiled General Assembly.

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Abu Hatab, discussed the Syrian opposition’s role and accomplishments so far and whether the interim government is of any benefit to Syrians and the dilemmas and challenges underlying its efforts. He stressed that qualifications were the main criteria for his government's personnel selection, which, nevertheless, saw the marginalization of Kurdish components. He also said that only the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Islamist groups — excluding Jabhat al-Nusra (now Jabhat Fatah al-Sham) and Jaish al-Fatah (Army of Conquest) — have a presence in rebel-held areas.

Hatab, a general and pediatric heart surgeon, currently resides in rebel-controlled areas between Aleppo and Idlib.