AMMAN, Jordan, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Arab press roundup for Feb. 20:
London-based al-Quds al-Arabi said Monday Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice unintentionally served the Syrian government when she said her country wants to provide financial support to topple the Damascus regime.
The independent Palestinian-owned daily commented the Arab masses, especially the Syrians, do not trust the U.S. administration and look down on Syrian opposition groups who receive funds from Washington. It said Rice's tour of the region, which starts Monday, comes with her "incitement of these Arab governments to stop their financial support to the Palestinian government formed by Hamas," insisting that while she allocates money for the Syrian and Iranian opposition on the pretext of democratic reforms, she tries to foil a group that won in free elections.
"This scandalous contradiction in American foreign policy is what makes the Bush administration hated so much in the Arab and Muslim world and makes many not believe the repeated American claims on democratic reforms and fighting corruption," the paper opined. It said Rice's tour was very important because it provides an opportunity for the U.S.-allied Arab regimes, especially Saudi Arabia and Egypt, "to tell her enough stupid and destructive adventures and that what's needed is some reason and dialogue because there's high tension in the region that only needs a flint to make it explode."
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London-based al-Hayat commented that while there is more attention on Iran's nuclear program, Rice's agenda during her visit to some Arab countries this week was to add pressure on Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
The Saudi-financed paper said it was strange that while Washington claims to encourage democracy, it ignores the fact that Hamas won democratically and that it was a large part of Palestinian society that is struggling against Israeli occupation.
"Rice is not coming to consult on what America can do to confront Hamas because (the visit) is preceded by a decision to halt financial assistance for Palestinian infrastructure projects," it said, "she is coming to encourage those she meets to imitate the American and Israeli position."
The paper stressed that Israeli and American sanctions were punishment for the Palestinian people because they elected Hamas, "which means that they are exempt from the policy of encouraging democracy, just like Israel is exempt from any blame and denunciation for its occupation of Palestinian lands."
It said it was natural for Washington to stop its assistance to the Palestinians because of its constant bias towards Israel, "but it is difficult to imagine those who will talk to Rice will discuss measures that will ultimately starve the people and ruin their lives even more."
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Lebanon's Daily Star said in its editorial very few people would want to be in Rice's shoes right now as the "rubble of American policy over the past decade is at her feet and piling up quickly."
The independent English-language paper said while the "central thrust" of the Bush administration's policy in the region has been to promote democracy, this policy is filled with hypocrisy. It asked how America can be committed to freedom while remaining quiet about Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
"How can the United States promote human rights and at the same time allow the torture of Arab prisoners, many of whom have been held in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay for years without charge or trial?" it asked. "How can Washington support democracy while encouraging Arab states to sanction the democratically elected government of the Palestinian people?"
It warned that such contradictory policies play into the hands of extremists, adding the Middle East was going through dangerous and unpredictable times. It stressed that while the U.S. secretary of state was "imaginative, trusted and capable," she cannot come to the Arab world and "hope to counter turmoil with a policy so full of contradictions."
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Egypt's semi-official al-Ahram daily said it was not in the interests of peace and stability in the Middle East for Israel or any other country to impose sanctions on the Palestinian people just because they voted for Hamas.
The mass-circulation paper warned that sanctions would only make Hamas more hard-line and convince the voters that Israel was not serious in achieving peace whether they elected Hamas or Fatah.
The editorial reminded Israel that its own government was the basic reason for Hamas' victory because of its aggression, adding that "starving the people will not work because there are alternatives to Western assistance that would make allegiance towards those who help, not those who punish."
The paper praised Russia, France and Turkey for their "courageous decision that is expected to make Hamas more flexible." It said the solution lies in respecting the Palestinian people's choice and to interact with Hamas by convincing it to gradually abandon its "hard-line positions," insisting that when a Hamas-led government sees real fruits of peace efforts, it will respond without hesitation in bringing security for its people and peace for the region.
It urged the Quartet Committee -- the United States, Russia, European Union and United Nations -- not to be led by Israel and to give Hamas a chance before judging the movement if the peace process is to resume.
The paper also urged Hamas leaders to abandon their fiery statements that could complicate matters and to take into consideration the "realities on the ground in their calculations." It stressed that the Palestinian Islamic movement should realize they don't "live alone in the region so that the boat can reach its dock and not to sink the Palestinians into a permanent problem and not find anyone to throw them the life-saver."
