Syrian opponents of President Bashar al Assad took their seat at the 22-member Arab League summit in Qatar on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The seat was filled by Moaz al-Khatib, who had led the opposition\u2019s main umbrella group \u2014 the National Coalition \u2014 until his resignation last week. <\/p>\n
It’s a significant moment for rebel forces, as it gives them some international legitimacy, and puts the National Coalition in a seat formerly held by Assad’s government. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is part of the restoration of legitimacy that the people of Syria have long been robbed of,\u201d Khatib said, who gave an impassioned speech after the announcement.<\/p>\n
“We call for an end to the bloodshed. We want liberty, we wish to steer the country away from further destruction. We wish to maintain national harmony \u2014 a clear diplomatic solution to stop the killing at the hands of the regime,” Khatib said. <\/p>\n
Syria has not had an Arab League representative since November 2011, when Assad’s government was suspended for its violent crackdown on a popular uprising. <\/p>\n