Arab League passes sanctions against Syria

THE Arab League yesterday overwhelmingly approved sanctions against Syria to pressure Damascus to end its eight-month crackdown on dissent, an unprecedented move by the League against an Arab state.

Beforehand, Syria said the vote was a betrayal of Arab solidarity. Besides punishing an already ailing economy, the sanctions are a huge blow for a Syrian regime that considers itself a powerhouse of Arab nationalism.

Qatari foreign minister Hamad bin Jassim said 19 of the League’s 22 member nations approved the sanctions, which include cutting off transactions with the Syrian central bank and halting Arab government funding for projects in Syria. Iraq and Lebanon abstained.