For the first time in twelve years, Syria is once again welcome to the Arab League, the summit of 22 Arab countries. Syrian leader Assad has long been banned because of his bloody crackdown on the opposition in his country. Arabist and correspondent Rena Netjes also thinks it’s a surprising decision.
A lot of it would have to do with importing addictive pills, says Netjes. He is concerned with the drug Captagon, which is very popular in the Middle East. “There is a huge flow of these addictive pills from Syria to Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Those countries think they can talk to Assad about it if they let him in again.”
Watch: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrives in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to attend the 32nd #Arab League vertex. #Saudi Arabia https://t.co/RONlEdtqF1 pic.twitter.com/NdvgeVCGOV
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) May 18, 2023
Bring the devil
Many countries will feel the return of Assad as a devil’s door. “Saudi Arabia has always been very against it,” says Netjes. “Some Arab tribes live half in Saudi Arabia and half in Syria, and that part is being slaughtered now.”
Another factor is that Iran is increasingly present in Syria, Netjes says. The question is whether this tactic works. ‘I think it’s kind of a mirage that it’s not going to work. But they believe it and we will see.’
Civil war
Syria was expelled from the Arab League in 2011, even though there was no civil war at the time. Neat also sees the struggle in the country more as a war of the regime against the people. “More than 90 percent of the deaths are caused by the actions of the regime and by Russia and Iran, countries that have been taken over by Assad.”
The struggle in the country is “too bloody even for Arab leaders,” says Netjes. ‘But people also see that the West is not finding a solution. So now they’re going to try this.’
“Sick Joke”
Many surrounding countries also want to get rid of the huge amount of Syrian refugees. “But these people have effectively fled the regime and are not going back,” says Netjes. Millions of Syrians live in Jordan, Lebanon and Türkiye.
The Arab League meets today in Saudi Arabia. Assad may also attend the COP28 climate summit in November in Dubai. “A sick joke and PR gift for Assad,” said a spokesman for human rights organization Amnesty International.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
