CAIRO, Egypt - The Arab League has approved sanctions against Syria to pressure the government to end its eight-month crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, effective immediately.Syria described the move, announced on Sunday in Cairo, as a betrayal
of Arab solidarity.At a press conference in the Egyptian capital, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, the Qatari prime minister, said 19 of the bloc's 22 member nations approved the sanctions, including cutting off transactions with the Syrian central bank and halting Arab government funding for projects in Syria.
The sanctions include a stop to relationships between Arab countries and the Syrian Central Bank, a stop to trade exchange with the Syrian government, and a travel ban on Syrian officials.The Arab League had set a Friday deadline for Syria to allow rights monitors into the country and withdraw tanks from the streets or face sanctions, but the ultimatum drew no firm commitment from Syrian officials.
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