Representatives from Syria’s opposition have replaced the regime of Bashar al-Assad at the table of the Arab League Summit in Qatar.  It’s a major blow to Assad’s legitimacy in the 2 year civil war.

Arab foreign ministers decided to swap Assad for the rebels earlier this week.

The rebels immediately used the summit as a platform to wish for things that probably aren’t going to happen, at least for now: Mouaz al-Khatib, the former president of the main opposition alliance, called for a greater U.S. role in aiding the rebels, and asked Secretary of State John Kerry to consider using NATO Patriot anti-missile batteries in Turkey to help defend the rebels in the north.

Al-Khatib also defended foreign fighters and jihadis fighting alongside the rebels, noting that there is less criticism for Syria’s use of help from Russia and Iran.

In Damascus, the Assad regime condemned the summit as selling out to American and Israeli interests.

Also at the Arab League Summit, the Emir of Qatar proposed a $1 Billion fund to protect Jerusalem's Arab identity.  He’s coming up with 25 percent of the funding and expects the rest of the Arab world to chip in.

“The Palestinian, Arab and Muslim rights in Jerusalem are not negotiable and Israel must realize this,” the Emir said.