By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, September
6 --
Starting from
the beheading
of US
journalist
James Foley,
the Syrian Coalition
has pushed
harder to
equate Assad
and the
Islamic State,
and to present
themselves,
based in
Turkey, as a
key to
fighting ISIL.
Their pitch on
the Arab League
meeting is
below.
But
first, this
read-out from
a Senior US
State Department
official, of
Secretary of
State Kerry's
call with
Nabil
al-Arabi:
"Secretary
Kerry spoke
with the
Secretary
General of the
Arab League
Nabil Elaraby
today to
discuss
developments
in the region
and to provide
an update on
efforts to
combat ISIL in
advance of the
Arab League
meetings which
start
tomorrow.
They discussed
the need for
the Arab
League and its
members to
take a strong
position in
the coalition
that is
developing
against ISIL
and the
importance of
decisive
action to stop
the flow of
foreign
fighters,
counter ISIL's
financing, and
combat its
incitement.
"The Secretary
emphasized
that the
military
aspect is only
one part of
this effort
and that to
degrade and
destroy the
threat posed
by ISIL will
require a
holistic
approach that
will take
time,
persistence
and require
coordination
with our Arab
partners at
the
international,
regional, and
local level –
combining
military, law
enforcement,
intelligence,
economic, and
diplomatic
tools. Both
leaders also
recognized
that Iraq is
on the front
line in the
war against
ISIL and that
Iraq, the
United States,
the region,
and the
international
community must
stand together
to assist Iraq
in facing this
threat."
Earlier on
September 6
the Syrian
Coalition
issued a
statement
that:
"Nasr
al-Hariri,
Secretary
General of the
Syrian
Coalition,
calls on the
Arab League to
go beyond
political
recognition of
the Syrian
Coalition and
grant it full
legal
recognition as
the
representative
of the Syrian
people during
a meeting held
today with
Secretary
General of the
Arab League,
Nabil
al-Arabi.
"Al
Arabi invited
the Syrian
Coalition to
occupy Syria’s
seat in the
Arab League
tomorrow and
speak on
behalf of the
Syrian people.
'Fighting
terrorism
cannot be done
piecemeal,
therefore the
Arab League’s
resolution
must include
putting an end
to the terror
practiced by
the Assad
regime against
the Syrian
people,' Al
Hariri said
commenting on
the Arab
League’s
intention to
pass a
resolution to
confront
terrorism
during the
upcoming
ministerial
meeting."
There were
other
statements
aimed in advance
at this Arab
League
ministerial
meeting,
including
about Gaza,
from UNRWA:
"In
a speech to be
delivered
tomorrow
(Sunday), to
Arab League
Foreign
Ministers in
Cairo, UNRWA’s
Commissioner
General,
Pierre
Krahenbuhl,
will ask for
47 million
dollars for 4
weeks
emergency work
in Gaza.
"In his first
major policy
address since
the ceasefire,
Krahenbuhl
will tell the
ministers that
'there is a
crying need
for financial
support now,
today. Longer
term
reconstruction
must be
addressed but
will depend on
the outcome of
negotiations
on access for
building
materials. My
main message
to you today
is please do
not wait for
weeks before
providing
support.'
"In a message
to Arab League
Secretary
General, Nabil
al-Arabi he
will say
'UNRWA can
only carry out
these tasks if
it has the
funds to do
so. We depend
almost
entirely on
voluntary
contributions.
Secretary
General, you
kindly
co-chaired a
meeting with
Mr Ban Ki-Moon
in New York a
year ago which
generated a
renewal of the
commitment of
Arab
governments to
aim at
providing 7.8
% of UNRWA’s
programme
budget. I have
to say that
performance at
4% still falls
well short of
this target. I
urge your
members to
give more
generously to
allow UNRWA to
continue its
vital work.'"
We'll see how
much support
for UNRWA
comes out of
the Arab
League -- and
how much
support for
the "coalition"
against ISIL.
Footnote:
Agence France
Presse, purporting
an
info-graphic
of journalists
killed last
year, listed
four as killed
"in Gaza."
Since all
other listed
jurisdiction
are full UN
member states,
some surmised
AFP's
nomenclature
let off the
hook the
killer of
those
journalists.
Despite
calling it
social media,
17 days later
AFP has not
responded.
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