A roundup of commentary from Arab newspapers October 5.
'No-news' Qatar full of clashing foreign policies
Jordan's Al Rai said in a commentary that Qatar has no clear policies or trends, but a host of contradictory policies aimed at attracting attention to prove the Arab state's existence. It does not matter whether the attention is positive or negative, as long as it makes the news.
The mass-circulation daily added that Jordan had seen Qatari contradiction when it initially approved the nomination of Jordan's UN representative as secretary-general - approved unanimously by the Arab member countries - but then voted for the South Korean representative.
"Qatar is allied with America and has placed its bases at the service of the American army," but it uses Al Jazeera against America to such an extent that the latter "contemplated bombing the station and killing those inside it to stifle its voice," it said.
The paper, partially owned by the government, complained that Qatar was on the side of the Palestinians and hosts "extremist Hamas leaders, but it has warm ties with Israel, as its foreign minister and his family enjoyed a summer vacation in Israel."
It said Qatar supported Lebanon against Israeli aggression, yet its foreign minister flew directly to Beirut from Israel with the protection of the Israeli Air Force and allows American smart bombs from US bases in Qatar to be shipped to Israel, where they " rain down on the Lebanese people."
The Gulf state, it added, also provided launching bases for US invading forces against Iraq, yet it has offered former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein asylum if he is acquitted in his court trial.
While Qatar is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), its most prominent role is boycotting the largest GCC member [Saudi Arabia] and antagonizing the latter's friends, such as Jordan, it said. "Finally, the Qatari regime fears the Shiite minority, but does not hesitate to jump in the lap of the Iranian regime just to spite Saudi Arabia," it said.
Palestinian blood spills while Israel applauds
The London-based Al Hayat said that Palestinians should stop rising up against other Palestinians and not deepen the internal divisions.
The Saudi-financed daily complained that as the Israeli authorities abduct Palestinian ministers and legislators, a Palestinian faction has threatened to kill Palestinian resistance leaders.
"This is the ultimate desperation, suicide, and perversion of awareness," the commentary said, adding that every Arab nationalist dream used to "purify itself in Palestine," but now "Palestinian blood has become cheap."
The paper, distributed in many Arab capitals, said the Palestinian voices who criticize both the Palestinian Authority and the Hamas government have drowned by the "sound of bullets in the streets, the Israeli bombs above the houses, while [Israeli Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert applauds."
Qatar violated Arab consensus
Saudi Arabia's Okaz said it understands Amman's resentment toward Qatar for not voting for Jordan's candidate for next UN secretary-general - Qatar's vote had violated the Arab consensus.
The semi-official daily said the Jordanian representative would have been most qualified to work favorably on Arab issues in the UN, adding that Qatar's vote for South Korea has created a deep rift in Arab ranks.
The daily said that an Arab voice voting for a non-Arab "will remain a discord among the unanimous Arab voices, no matter how much it tries to gain the characteristic of independence."
Qatar's stance against the Arab nation does not represent the will of the Qatari people, it said, "especially if [the motive] stems from settling scores that harm the unity of Arab ranks."
No nukes - start with Israel, next US
The United Arab Emirates' Al Khaleej said the US administration fusses over a possible North Korean nuclear test and over Iran's insistence on enriching uranium, while the rest of the world waits to see how the US will deal with its own nukes and those of its friends.
The pro-government paper said that while most people are against the proliferation of nuclear weapons, they are also against the American position because of its double standards and foreign policy.
"The one who wants to prevent nuclear proliferation should provide an ethical and political example," the paper said, adding that Washington has never tried to push Israel into signing the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. In fact, the editorial complained, the United States facilitated Israel's acquiring of materials to manufacture nuclear weapons and its foreign policy "gives other countries pretexts to store all kinds of weapons, including nuclear, to defend themselves."
It insisted the world was now in more need of nuclear disarmament, adding the United States can start with Israel, and then with itself. "Only then, will [Washington] find strong support from the rest of the world regarding nuclear disarmament," it said.
Review of Arab Editorials
TOOLBAR
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