A roundup of commentary from Arab newspapers October 3.
Rice up to no good
Jordan's Al Arab Al Yawm said in a commentary that it doubted that Rice has anything new to present to the Palestinian people, adding that she does not carry anything with her that would lead to a Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel as envisioned by President George W. Bush.
The daily, which describes itself as independent, predicted that Rice might even "incite the Fatah group in the Palestinian Authority against the Hamas government, and may encourage Israel to continue its aggression against the Palestinians and tighten the blockade." That is why, it said, "we want to take advantage of Secretary Rice's presence in the Arab world and present her with the truth."
The paper called on Arab leaders meeting the US official to tell her frankly that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and violence will not end unless there is a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian problem.
It said that Arab officials must tell Rice that Washington has abandoned its legitimate sponsorship of the peace process by having sided with Israel in its aggression that led to turbulence, chaos, and violence.
The paper opined that Rice came to the region to support the "occupation government in Iraq, to widen the gap between the presidency and authority in Palestine, to fuel the fire in Lebanon to ignite sedition [among the Lebanese], and to make trouble for Syria and Iran."
Rice meeting with friends
Lebanon's Al Safir said that it was no coincidence that Rice started her tour in Saudi Arabia, which it described as the "central political, geographical, and economic weight in confronting Iran and its frightening nuclear plans."
The mass-circulation daily commented that it was also no coincidence that she meets with all the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Cairo Tuesday.
It added sarcastically that Rice should be assured that her friends in Lebanon will be cooperative with her administration in "rejecting Hezbollah's adventure and refusing to recognize the victory achieved by the resistance."
The paper, with Arab nationalist trends, said that the events in Iraq may provide an additional pretext to add fear to those who fear the Iranian threat.
Rice's hidden agenda
Syria's official Tishreen said in a commentary that Rice returns to the region with a political agenda that is more hidden than declared.
The paper added that Rice's official working agenda is to revive the peace process with support from her "moderate Arab allies," insisting that all peace proposals and initiatives regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict have failed in the past due to Israeli hostilities.
"What is Rice carrying that is new for peace in the region when the policy of her country, as a sponsor of peace, and Israel's obstinacy and aggression will not lead to any form of peace?" the state-run paper asked.
It opined that the objectives of Rice's tour are completely different than the declared aims, just as was revealed in her last visit to the region, during the Israeli war on Lebanon, when she said that she saw the birth of a new Middle East "that came from the smoke of Israeli gunfire and cluster bombs that killed Lebanese civilians."
The paper said that Rice's dream for this new region was destroyed by the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance, and that she may have returned to the area to try to "revive this dream."
Arabs must speak as one
Saudi Arabia's Al Watan said in its editorial that the Arab foreign ministers meeting Rice Tuesday will not be surprised if she spoke at length about the American war on terror and tries to link it to the need to foil the Palestinian Hamas government.
The semi-official daily added that Rice may seek support for providing an opportunity to those that she sees as moderate Palestinians to form a new government that accepts the American-Israeli conditions.
"The Arab ministers will also not be surprised if Rice reiterated the importance of sanctions on Syria to force it to stop its support for the Palestinian factions," it predicted.
More important, the paper said, is what the Arab ministers will tell her. It hoped that they will choose to stick to the Arab position, based on international laws, and the Arab peace initiative as the only acceptable framework to achieve a just settlement.
The ministers can use their meeting with Rice to serve the region, it stressed, if only to inform Washington that finding a just solution to the Palestinian problem will contribute in achieving progress in turbulent areas, such as Lebanon and Iraq.
It said that the ministers can also use their talks with Rice in Cairo to discuss the best ways to end the deterioration in the Palestinian territories.
Arabs have abandoned one another
Qatar's Al Rayah said that Rice's Middle East tour can succeed if the many complicated issues are dealt with positively and seriously, "rather than unilaterally as the American administration has been doing recently."
The pro-government daily said that the participation of the foreign ministers from eight Arab countries should be effective and not just provide a cover for the American role and policy in the region.
It argued that Rice's visit will not be fruitful unless Washington changes its policy toward peace in the region and to include Arab countries in any settlement. "Rice's visit will not achieve any positive results for the Arab issues if it does not come out with clear decisions toward what the Palestinians are facing in terms of political and economic blockade that led to internal congestion and struggle among the Palestinians," it insisted.
The paper complained that the Arabs abandoned the Palestinians, Iraq, Lebanon, and Sudan due to external pressures, becoming mere observers despite their human and material resources that could have had international influence to solve their crises.
Review of Arab Editorials
TOOLBAR
To add a comment,
Please log in:
Don't have an account?
Register now to comment on stories and stay up to date on important events and issues in the Middle East with our newsletter.