The Arab League welcomed Syria's President Bashar Assad back to the fold at a summit hosted by Saudi Arabia, signaling his regional political isolation was ending despite a horrific war that's lasted more than a dozen years.
Thousands protested in cities across Syria against the normalization of relations between Assad's brutal government and the intergovernmental pan-Arab organization of 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
European demonstrators also took to the streets in Amsterdam, London, Lyon, Stockholm, Vaile and Vienna, protesting Assad's appearance on Friday in Jedda, where he was embraced by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and described the summit as a turning point.
“I hope that it marks the beginning of a new phase of Arab action for solidarity among us, for peace in our region, development and prosperity instead of war and destruction,” he said. “It is important to leave internal affairs to the country’s people as they are best able to manage their own affairs."
The Assad government's political and military survival has come at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives, a largely destroyed nation, and the uprooting of millions of people that has spread chaos and fear in the region and into Europe.
Saudi Arabia welcomes Syrian President Bashar al Assad at Arab League Summit. Syria attended this summit after a 12 years break.
— Javeria Siddique (@javerias) May 19, 2023
#ArabLeagueSummit pic.twitter.com/YpprMs6idj
Protests erupted in rebel-held northern Syria to oppose the reintegration of the regime's President Bashar al Assad into the Arab League for the first time since 2011https://t.co/c47h1niwRn
— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) May 19, 2023
Over 12 years of misery
Millions of children have known nothing but war and at least another million chidlren were born as refugees into a harsh life.
But the international community has been unable or unwilling to stop one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes that has been rife with staggering human rights abuses, crimes and destruction.
More than 12 years ago the uprising against Assad began with protests in Daraa over security forces’ detention of boys accused of painting anti-government graffiti on school walls.
On March 15, 2011, a protest was held in Damascus’ Old City; three days later, security forces killed four people, sparking rebellion. The Arab League revoked Syria's membership a short time later as Assad's ruthless crackdown began.
The Arab League includes Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
