Arab press tackles events in Iraq, Palestine situation Thamer Abu Baker

Opinion, August 2003, www.aljazeerah.info

Arab press tackles events in Iraq, Palestine situation

Thamer Abu Baker

Jordan Times, Sunday, August 31, 2003

TAHA KHALEFAH discussed Arab countries' stands towards the Iraqi Governing Council in Qatar's Al Raya newspaper. He said that Arab countries' attitudes and policies towards events in the region are always dramatic and their positions change swiftly. He said Arab diplomacy has become vague and dishonest to the extent that many people in the Arab world were sure that the Arab League's recent resolution regarding the Iraqi council would not last for a long time, and that is what happened. The writer said the past week saw no major events that led to this change of Arab countries' perceptions in such a manner. He concluded that the only event was American pressure on Arab countries to recognise the council, and visits by some council members to certain Arab countries last week. The writer asserted that Arab countries must deal with the council if they want to have a role in rebuilding Iraq, instead of leaving the whole process to the Americans alone. Asharq Al Awsat's Abdulhady Butaleb claimed that recognition of the Governing Council is one of the dilemmas facing the Arab League, because although some Arab countries had recognised the council, the official Arab position is that this council enjoys no legitimacy and is not entitled to the league's recognition. The writer argued that the Arab League must be involved in developments taking place in Iraq, and recognise the council and the upcoming Iraqi government. Butaleb suggested that the Iraqi government must be represented in the Arab League till the Iraqi elections take place.

In his article in Al Ittihad newspaper (UAE) Shamlan Al Issa said the recent violence in Iraq makes us speculate as to whether security in Iraq can be ensured without foreign forces. To achieve security in the country, he said, the Iraqi people must support the allied troops, noting that recent conflict between different Iraqi groups and factions had started to take an aggressive direction, rather than a political one. The writer said the problem with the Iraqi political parties and groups is that their attitudes is not different from that of Saddam's, as they do not believe in democracy, and thus are using violent means against each other.

In her article in the London-based Al Hayat newspaper Dalal Al Bezry tackled Iraqi military operations against US troops. She said these operations could lead to an escalation in American retaliations against the Iraqi people, or force the Americans to withdraw from Iraq, thus creating the possibility of a civil war, like in Somalia. The columnist claimed the Arabs are supporting these operations by refusing to deal with the Governing Council, aside from the fact that the Arab media is encouraging military resistance against the Americans. Bezry believes that slogans spreading in the Arab media, declaring that armed resistance is the only way to liberate Iraq from the American occupation, are very dangerous. However, she added, Arab lives are irrelevant and insignificant to the Arab media.

Regarding events in Palestine, Khaled Al Shakaky wrote in Asharq Al Awsat that the roadmap would have collapsed even without the collapse of the truce, as transpired last week. He argued that the roadmap did not have the basic elements of success, because it does not give the Palestinians any significant gains. Moreover, he said, the Palestinian Authority may face a civil war if it begins implementing the roadmap. Furthermore the Palestinian Authority lost its legitimacy three years ago, when the Palestinian general elections should have taken place, the writer said, adding that the political condition on both sides of the fence was not mature enough yet. In addition, the international community, mainly the US, is not ready to exert sufficient pressure on Israel's right wing government. The writer believes what both sides need most is a final settlement to all major elements of the conflict. Shakaky said the Palestinians have two options: To continue the armed struggle, or adopt a non-violent resistance approach. However, he said neither could the options be implemented, nor would they satisfy Palestinian demands. The writer, expressing pessimism about future of the peace process, claimed that any attempt to resuscitate the roadmap peace plan would not succeed, and waiting for salvation from the US administration was just an illusion.

Josef Al Kazaz writing in the Palestinian Al Hayat Al Jadeeda newspaper said higher Palestinian national interests must be kept above all differences within Palestinian parties. He said no authority in the entire world allows the existence of another authority or army on its land. The writer stressed that the Israeli government doesn't want the truce to last. However, he said, we want the entire world to observe the Israeli government's true nature, in the same way it reacts when Palestinian groups carry out operations against Israeli civilians. Kazaz called on the Palestinian Authority to do its best to put an end to these operations and to collect weapons from the Palestinian groups. The writer concluded that these military operations damage the Palestinian cause, and must be stopped.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).