Al-Hayat al-Jadeeda (West Bank): Obama Vows to Work for Palestinian-Israeli Peace From First Day in Power – US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama yesterday vowed to work toward a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians from his first day in power if elected to the White House, but added it will be a difficult task to achieve. Obama told reporters in Amman that the "Israeli government is unsettled and the Palestinians are divided between Fatah and Hamas," adding it would be difficult for either side to take any steps that could bring about peace.

Al-Rai (Jordan): King to Obama: Palestinian State is Key to Solution in Region – Jordan's King Abdullah II said in talks with Barack Obama last night that ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and finding a just settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict remains the top priority for the peoples of the Middle East. The monarch stressed that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in all the West Bank and Gaza remains the key to a solution to permanently end the conflict in the region, adding that continued U.S. support for the peace process would enhance American credibility among the Arabs.

Al-Baath (Syria): Palestinian Runs over 19 Settlers with Bulldozer – For the second time in 21 days, a Palestinian carried out an attack with his bulldozer in occupied Jerusalem, injuring 19 settlers before he fell a martyr by Israeli gunfire. Eyewitnesses said the Palestinian drove the bulldozer over two Israeli cars, injuring 19 settlers, in a scenario similar to the heroic operation led by another resistance man that killed three settlers three weeks ago.

Al-Masry al-Youm (Egypt): U.N. Denies Contacts with Egypt and Arab League Over Bashir's crisis – The U.N. denied having contacts with Egypt over convening a meeting to resolve the Darfur problem, and denied contacts with the Arab League to open channels between the Arab organization and the International Criminal Court concerning the court prosecution's decision to arrest Sudanese President Omar Bashir on war crime charges in Darfur. In a related development, Arab League chief Amr Moussa announced the success of his consultations with Sudanese leaders over the league's initiative to resolve Bashir's crisis, saying there was a consensus between the government and the opposition to reject the international court's interference in Sudan's internal affairs.

Al-Anbaa (Kuwait): Serbia: Bosnia Butcher Radovan Karadzic Behind Bars – After 12 years on the run, the butcher of Bosnia-Herzegovina Radovan Karadzic fell into the hands of justice after the Serbian security forces arrested the first Serbian leader in Bosnia accused of war crimes and genocide during the civil war. Upon hearing the news of his arrest, hundreds of jubilant people took to the streets of Sarajevo, which remained under siege for 43 months and was mercilessly bombed by Karadzic's forces in a war that killed 200,000 people.