News Introduction for Sunday 20-11-2011

The Arab League is acting upon a previously set agenda: The League refused today the changes made by Syria on the Arab Protocol regarding the monitors to be sent on Syrian grounds and set next Thursday the date of an urgent Arab Foreign Ministers meeting.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem accused today some Arab political powers of using the Arab League to pull Syria’s case into the UN.

Amid all these changes there is little room left for both Syrians and Arabs to maneuver in the upcoming 3 days but the questions are: What to do after Thursday’s meeting? Will all Arab states impose economic sanctions on Syria as the Arab League asked? Or all options are open for new surprises such as the establishment of a buffer zone as a safe haven for the opposition?

On the other hand the Egyptian scene exploded as what seemed like a second revolution. For the second day in row severe clashes escalated between the protestors in Tahrir Square, the symbol of the Egyptian Revolution, and the security and army forces causing 3 dead and more 1700 injured in the past two days.

The unrest soon propagated to Suez and Alexandria cities. These demonstrations forced the Egyptian interim government to issue a statement tonight to ensure that the elections will be held on time after the Muslim Brotherhood called on the government to hold the elections on the 28th of November 2011.

What did Walid Moallem say on the Arab Protocol regarding the Arab League monitors describing it as a breach for Syria’s sovereignty, adding that if the Syrians are meant to fight, they will do so?