8 September 2014
Arab League pledges to cooperate with all international and regional efforts in the fight against ISIS
On 7 September, during an emergency meeting in Cairo, Foreign Ministers of the Arab League vowed to take all necessary measures to combat the Islamic State group while agreeing to cooperate with all international and regional efforts.
The Jerusalem Post and NBC News report that, while a draft resolution proposed by Baghdad made explicit reference to the US air assault campaign, the final text adopted by the League did not specifically or directly endorse the coalition campaign against Islamic State, which was announced by President Obama on 5 September. Yet both sources as well Reuters have emphasised that, according to diplomatic sources, the wording clearly offered Arab cooperation to U.S. and Iraqi efforts and could be read as a tacit agreement to back Washington’s endeavours against the group.
The Arab League also endorsed in the closing statements of its meeting a UN Security Council resolution passed last month calling on member states to “act to suppress the flow of foreign fighters, financing and other support to Islamist extremist groups in Iraq and Syria”.
Source: Al Jazeera | Arab League pledges to tackle Islamic State
Source: Reuters | Arabs vow to confront Islamic State, cooperate with international efforts
Source: NBC News | Arab League Vows to Confront ISIS
Source: Jerusalem Post | Arab League endorses US-led coalition against Islamic State