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| Suhair Atassi (top) seen fronting for Moaz al-Khatib (above) at the Arab summit |
Symbolism was the memorable part of the
just-concluded Arab summit in Doha.
The symbolism of Syrian opposition leader Moaz
al-Khatib being asked to take over President Bashar al-Assad’s seat and address
the Arab heads of state in the name of the Syrian people.
And the symbolism of Suhair Atassi briefly deputizing
for Khatib later and becoming the first Arab woman to chair an Arab League
summit delegation.
Writing in Arabic on what was real and what was
metaphorical in Doha, Ghassan Charbel, editor-in-chief of pan-Arab al-Hayat,
says the image summed up the summit. And yesterday’s image was “unmatched, conclusive
and cruel.”
Seeing the
Syrian opposition delegation meet huge applause as it made its way to its
country’s seat at the summit was unusual.
Witnessing
Moaz al-Khatib seated behind the revolution flag, instead of the decades-old Syrian
Republic flag we knew, was extraordinary.
Seeing no
walkout from the conference room by any delegation leader was equally remarkable.
It is not
in the habit of Arab summits to send that sort of message to a member-state’s regime.
The Doha summit did not suffice with keeping Syria’s seat vacant but went further
and gave it to a delegation representing the Syrian revolution.
The
remarkable thing is that the image pertains to an Arab League heavyweight and
founding member-state that used to have the last word on matters concerning
Lebanon and Palestine.
The image
carried a few connotations.
It was a
sharp response to Lakhdar Brahimi’s last visit to Damascus.
It evoked
the unimaginable human and material losses inflicting by the regime’s military
machine on cities and villages and their residents.
And it
recalled Russia and Iran’s persistent backing of the regime at the risk of
triggering regional and international face-offs liable to dismember or destroy
what remains of Syria.
The image
came in the context of a growing belief among Arab and Western decision-makers
that the Syrian regime will turn down any political settlement unless forced.
This explains the (summit) resolve to redress the balance of forces in favor of
the revolution. The resolve translates into resuming the funding and arming of
opposition forces and continuing to de-legitimize the regime. That’s what can be
read into yesterday’s image.
The image
came as the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was launching increasingly audacious attacks
on regime forces in the country’s south, thus knocking at the door of the
regime’s capital, and shelling the heart of Damascus almost daily.
What did
the other sides read into yesterday’s image?
We have to
wait and see what Damascus infers from Khatib heading the Syria delegation to
the summit. Does Damascus have options other than the one it is using?
What will
Tehran deduce from the image coming, as it did, when the Saudis were saying
they had arrested a spy ring linked to Iran’s intelligence services? Will it
perceive the image as a relentless drive to root out its position in Syria and
block its route to Lebanon? Will it deduce that retreat or a change of course
is behind time?
And what
is Hezbollah reading into the image? Does it feel Lebanon can take more
meddling by its men in the Syria fighting?
What does
Nouri al-Maliki notice in the image after choosing to watch it from Baghdad?
And what
will Moscow detect in the image after Khatib said the opposition is looking
forward to claim Syria’s seat at the United Nations and other international
organizations?
Another
warranted question is: How will the Syrian opposition build on yesterday’s
success? Will it be tempted to go for the kill and try a knockout against the
regime? Or will it choose to redress the balance on the ground and keep alive
the chance of Syria’s components continuing to coexist? And will the revolution
amplify yesterday’s achievement by closing ranks, ending internal splits and
shutting out roving fighters?
Syria
watchers are seriously worried lest the next image turns out to be bleaker than
the one that preceded yesterday’s.
Some of
them are anticipating a terrible and ruinous battle in Damascus that would set
off a new wave of refugees and rivers of blood and funerals. They say what
we’ve seen so far, which is terrible, is only a small sample of what’s in store.
That will
most likely be the case. The Syrian revolution has entered its most difficult
and dangerous phase. The neighboring countries are buckling up in expectation
of the tremor.
In face of
the pending horrors, the adversaries would be well-advised to keep the phone numbers
of Lakhdar Brahimi handy.
They might
need him to certify the change and check the losses and outrages.
