THE EFFICACY OF THE LEGAL MECHANISMS OF THE LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES IN SETTLING REGIONAL CRISES: THE SYRIAN CRISIS AS A CASE STUDY

Abstract

This research addresses the role undertaken by the League of Arab States in dealing with the Syrian Crisis from a legal perspective, focusing on the mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes and the extent of their efficacy. The study proceeds from an analysis of the legal framework governing the work of the Arab League, both through its Charter and through the mechanisms developed subsequently. The research also tracks the evolution of the Arab League's positions towards the Syrian Crisis chronologically and analytically; these positions commenced with calls for pacification and internal reforms, before transitioning to the adoption of initiatives aimed at halting violence and launching a national dialogue. At a later stage, the League dispatched field observer missions in an attempt to assess the situation. The research concludes that the efficacy of the Arab League's role remained relatively limited due to several primary reasons, most prominent of which are the absence of legal enforcement mechanisms capable of enforcing its resolutions, as well as the clear divergence in the positions of Member States regarding the Syrian Crisis, and the influence of varying political and strategic considerations on its decisions—a matter which rendered its role closer to a coordinating framework rather than a decisive actor.