The Arab League announced the immediate reinstatement of Syria as a member on Sunday, opening the door to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s participation in the league’s upcoming summit on May 19. The diplomatic breakthrough affirms Assad’s legitimacy and confirms the acceptance across the region that he has won Syria’s civil war.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s gradual emergence from diplomatic isolation has gained further momentum with his country’s reestablishment of official relations with Saudi Arabia. But Syria’s isolation may not be over quite yet, despite the seeming progress Damascus has made in engagement with its regional neighbors.
This month marks 12 years since Syria’s civil war began. The past year has been marked by a string of political wins for the Syrian regime but has brought greater misery for Syrians. Despite the regime’s triumphant rhetoric, Syrian society is overwhelmingly focused on survival alone, with no hope for economic recovery or reconstruction.
