Review of the Arab press

AMMAN, Jordan, May 22 (UPI) -- Arab newspapers had much more to say Tuesday on violent clashes in Lebanon's northern port city of Tripoli and bombings in Beirut. Lebanon's an-Nahar remarked the Lebanese can only link the clashes between Fatah al-Islam and the army in and around the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared to the deteriorating Lebanese conditions amid the controversy over the international tribunal in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. It noted that all Palestinian factions have denounced Fatah al-Islam and its attack on the Lebanese army, while insisting on protecting the Palestinians inside the refugee camp. The anti-Syrian mass-circulation daily added that renouncing the group and protecting the civilians are necessary, "but everyone knows it's not just a question of civilians, but of a Palestinian decision that avoids deterioration inside the camps and averting a Lebanese-Palestinian confrontation." It stressed that Fatah al-Islam does not defend Nahr al-Bared camp, but has taken it and its residents hostage as human shields. The Palestinian authorities and factions, including Hamas, are responsible for what is happening in the refugee camps and the clashes put these factions before a test to prove their independence, it said. "Without a clear Palestinian decision to primarily protect the camps from the danger of Fatah al-Islam and to help the Lebanese authority in confronting it, Lebanon and the Palestinians will find themselves before tough choices in which no party emerges victorious," it said.

London-based al-Quds al-Arabi said in a front-page commentary the clashes in northern Lebanon and the army's pounding of the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp reveal the level of confusion in the Lebanese army and the absence of its political vision. The independent Palestinian-owned daily remarked the Lebanese army was facing its first real test with a small group of militants, yet its losses were enormous, indicating the army's weakness and preparedness. To cover its weakness, the military resorted to shelling the camp indiscriminately in an act of vengeance that targets civilians, it complained. The paper, distributed in many Arab capitals, described as "shameful" for Lebanese politicians to justify the bombing of the camp by saying the dignity of the army was harmed by a small group that has no real roots in Lebanon or among the Palestinians. "It is regrettable to see the political Lebanese elite talking about the dignity of the state and unite against the Palestinians under the pretext of avenging Fatah al-Islam," the paper complained, adding these were the same politicians who were divided among themselves in confronting the Israeli war on Lebanon last summer. "We did not hear a single Lebanese politicians object to the arbitrary shelling of Nahr al-Bared camp," it noted. The daily maintained the clashes in Lebanon were a small rehearsal to what might happen after the international tribunal for Hariri's assassination is endorsed by the U.N. Security Council. "Lebanon needs wisdom and reason so that the fire doesn't spread," it said. "And it is painful that the reasonable in Lebanon have become rare as their voice has become lost in the hateful noise linked to external plans that don't want goodness for Lebanon."

Qatar's al-Watan said it is naive to accuse Syria of being behind Fatah al-Islam's confrontation with the Lebanese army, even if this group is a splinter from the pro-Syrian Fatah al-Intifada faction. It noted that the leader of Fatah al-Islam, Shaker al-Absi, is wanted by the Syrian authorities on charges of being involved in violent clashes with the Syrians recently, and is wanted in Jordan on charges of killing USAID employee Laurence Foley in 2002. The pro-government daily added in an opinion piece, "What is unfortunate in this northern battle is that Fatah al-Islam, which only declared its formation a few months ago, was able in this short time to expand and reach the army to kill. It's also unfortunate that the Lebanese authority would link Fatah al-Islam with the Syrian intelligence services, although Syria itself is struggling from similar groups that share al-Qaida ideas." What's even more naive, it opined, is that some Lebanese politicians went as far as to say these battles were sparked by Damascus to obscure the international tribunal for Hariri's assassination and tried to link the bombings in Beirut to the Tripoli clashes. The daily suggested that Fatah al-Islam had exploited the internal political divisions in the country to mess with its civil peace and allow raiding Palestinian camps in Lebanon with an Arab agreement, but without considering the repercussions this would have on the Palestinian refugees and their leaders. "Fatah al-Islam is a Trojan horse that should wake up the (Lebanese) to the depth of the crisis," it said.

The United Arab Emirates' al-Khaleej said it feared that Lebanon is being pushed into the "tunnel of chaos" that Washington wants for the Arab region to implement the Iraq model in line with the "greater Middle East" plan. The pro-government daily added in its editorial such big events are no coincidence, and the Lebanese are deeply concerned that their country and people will be turned into another experimental arena to pass plans, policies and strategies that conflict with their interests, stability and civil peace. It stressed the "disaster of Iraq should be a lesson to all" and avoid slipping into that same pattern of fighting. "There is no other way for the Lebanese except to agree on a salvation project for their homeland, away from external bets," it said. "And they must protect themselves and their civil peace from attempts against their stability and security, and mainly against any Zionist plan waiting for its chance to take revenge."