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February 15th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda “The bullet ended up in the stomach. This is a critical condition that needs transportation to a proper hospital,” Mohammad said. “We appeal to anyone with conscience to intervene to stop the massacres of Bashar al-Assad and his cohorts.”
Another opposition activist, Mohammad al-Homsi, said the humanitarian situation was getting worse, with food and fuel short and prices tripling. Army roadblocks had been set up around opposition districts, Homsi said from the city.
Nader said that people in residential buildings in Baba Amro were sheltering on the ground floors.
Arab League wants UN peacekeepers in Syria
Shelling was also reported in the town of Rastan.
Foreign media have had to rely on activists’ accounts of the situation because the Syrian government restricts access, although reports from neutral organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and Human Rights Watch confirm the general picture of widespread repression.
At the United Nations, diplomats said a draft General Assembly resolution, supporting the Arab League plan and calling for the appointment of a joint U.N.-Arab League envoy on Syria, could be put to a vote on Wednesday or Thursday.
The resolution, seen by Reuters, is similar to a Security Council draft vetoed by Russia and China on February 4 that condemned the Assad government and called on him to step aside.
There are no vetoes in General Assembly votes and its decisions are not legally binding.
An Arab League proposal for a joint Arab-U.N. peacekeeping mission be sent to Syria elicited a guarded response from Western powers, who are wary of becoming bogged down militarily in Syria. It was rejected out of hand by the Assad government.
Video: Activist offers insight on Syrian protests, violence (on this page)
Russia, Assad’s main ally and arms supplier, also showed little enthusiasm, saying it could not support a peacekeeping mission unless both sides stopped the violence first.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in Washington that the peacekeeper proposal would be tough to get through, given Russian and Chinese support for Damascus.
“There are a lot of challenges to be discussed … and certainly the peacekeeping request is one that will take agreement and consensus,” Clinton said.
NYT: For Iraqis, aid to rebels in Syria repays a debt
The Syria conflict, the most prolonged of the revolts in the Arab world which saw the leaders of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya toppled last year, is shaping up to be a geopolitical struggle reminiscent of the Cold War.
Russia wants to retain its foothold in the region and counter U.S. influence. Assad is also allied to Iran, which is at odds with the United States, Europe and Israel.
The Arab drive against Assad is led by Sunni-ruled Gulf states, who also see Shi’ite Iran and its shadowy nuclear program as a threat.
Analysts say the conflict could spread across the Middle East’s ethnic, religious and political fault lines if it is not resolved.
China tries to limit veto damage
Meanwhile, China’s foreign ministry said Tuesday that a Chinese envoy, Li Huaxin, had met the head of the Arab League, Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby, to discuss Syria, as Beijing seeks to limit the diplomatic damage from its veto of the U.N. resolution.
The foreign ministry said its Li had an “extremely frank and useful” exchange with Elaraby.
China has insisted its veto did not amount to supporting Assad and was only taken to try and prevent the situation worsening.
But Elaraby has previously said that the veto had cost China and Russia diplomatic credit in the Arab world, and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah called the veto an “unfavorable” move.
In Libya, protesters hurled rocks at the Chinese embassy.
“China and Arab countries have a very traditional friendship and cooperative relationship, and maintain close communication and coordination on political affairs,” Li said, according to the Foreign Ministry statement on its website.
“Given the constantly escalating Syrian situation, the purpose of this visit to Cairo was to explain China’s position and policies to the Arab League and Arab countries, and listen to their opinions,” Li said.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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