Syrian Refugees Are 'Left Out in the Cold' by the Biggest Arab States That Refuse to Welcome Them

Fighting inside Syria continues with grave implications for its population.

By Vijay Prashad / AlterNet

March 29, 2017 | http://www.alternet.org/world/syrian-refugees-danger-arab-states-and-un?utm_source=Articles&utm_campaign=aaba07b84a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_03_30&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9fbe436b65-aaba07b84a-83961865

The Arab League summit opened Wednesday in Jordan. Heads of government and state of 22 countries in West Asia and North Africa have assembled in the Dead Sea, a fitting name for a body that has struggled to be relevant in the conflicts that bedevil the region. Egypt’s Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, the Secretary General of the League, said at the threshold of the summit that Arab governments should ‘work in every possible way to play a more active role in major crises.’

Aboul-Gheit, who mentioned Libya and Yemen as two examples, was more circumspect on Syria. What role the Arab states might play as a bloc here is unclear. Aboul-Gheit’s own Egypt is now fully behind the government of Bashar al-Assad, while Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf Arab states remain settled on the view that Assad has to resign. It is this divide not only on Syria, but also on Libya and Yemen that has made it impossible for the Arab League to drive an agenda. It is revealing that the ministers have indicated that ‘Arab solidarity’ is a priority for them. It would only be a priority if it were so threadbare.http://www.alternet.org/world/syrian-refugees-danger-arab-states-and-un?utm_source=Articles&utm_campaign=aaba07b84a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_03_30&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9fbe436b65-aaba07b84a-83961865