Syria Today | Still backing the Arab League

Still backing the Arab League

Syria is a founding member of the Arab League, officially formed in Egypt on March 22, 1945. As the league gathers for its summit in Libya this month, Syria Today hit the streets to ask if the Arab League serves any useful purpose in the modern Middle East.

Jadallah Asa’ad, 38, civil servant: “There is always a gap between theory and practice, but in the case of the Arab League the gap is huge. The criticism of the Arab League is not only for the embarrassing role it played during the Israeli war on Gaza last year and during the war on Lebanon in 2006, but also for the Israeli threats towards Syria last month, the Palestinian split between Fatah and Hamas and the terrible situation in Iraq for the past seven years now. If all the main Arab countries were working in harmony, I believe that Palestinian reconciliation, for example, would be easier to achieve. We recently saw that the league can play a useful role when it helped ease tensions in Yemen. Arab summits can help to heal inter-Arab rifts, so we shouldn’t lose hope.”

Nour Naboulsi, 28, unemployed: “The league is not meeting expectations, but that is not an excuse to dissolve it. However, when I compare the Arab League with the EU it depresses me, especially when we look at the economic side. The EU is still very young, but it is achieving prosperity and unity for the Europeans. Our league has no direct relationship with the citizens of its member states. Politically speaking, there are some issues on which the Arabs can agree. They have already taken a strong position rejecting the international arrest warrant against the Sudanese president for example. They can take many more positive steps moving forward. Let’s hope for the best.”

Radwan Sawan, 25, student: “The league reacts instead of acting. In our region, real Arab unity of purpose is doomed by acquiescence to America’s Middle East policy. But I think the league serves a useful purpose. Rather, more young members with a common touch should be promoted to its ranks.”

Jamal Gharebeh, 48, lawyer: “The league has played an important role in shaping school curricula, in developing literacy campaigns and it has carried out many programmes to advance women’s and children’s welfare in Arab societies. It is also playing a leading role in preserving Arab cultural heritage. It is also important to mention that modern technical terminology is translated for use throughout the Arab world via the league’s language councils. The idea of a body that gathers Arabs under one roof is fine. But Arabs themselves should give power to that body. In short, I’m with the league if Arabs give it greater power.”