AMMAN, Jordan, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Arab press roundup for Feb. 21:
Arab papers continued Wednesday to criticize the results of the meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Jerusalem Monday. The London-based al-Hayat said it has now become clear Washington is not ready to recognize a Palestinian national unity government since it agreed with Israel on boycotting its cabinet members. The Saudi-financed daily added in a commentary while Rice stressed U.S. support for Abbas' security guards, this support is conditional. This condition, it said, is that Abbas' Fatah movement does not become political partners with Hamas, "which could strengthen the Palestinian front in the face of Israel." The paper, distributed in most Arab capitals, argued the result of the three-way meeting shows the American administration "is now dealing with the Palestinian question from the view of its so-called war on terrorism and that Hamas, in Washington's eyes, is an organization that supports terrorism just like al-Qaida." The Mecca meeting where Hamas and Fatah reached an agreement, it said, showed the Palestinian and Arab keenness on political development, while it revealed Israel's "hostility and obstinacy," and an absence of American seriousness in reaching a solution. The paper said it hoped that next month's Arab summit in Saudi Arabia would support the Palestinian political process and support its national unity government to "stop the possible deterioration due to the Western political boycott of this government."
Egypt's al-Gomhuriya described the three-way Mideast meeting as "negative" as Israel and the United States imposed new conditions to lift the "unjust sanctions" on the Palestinian people. The semi-official daily said in its editorial said these conditions are a clear defiance of the Mecca deal in forming a Palestinian national unity government and requires Palestinian and Arab action on the international scene, especially Europe, to "reveal this American-Israeli collusion against" Palestinian rights. The mass-circulation said it hoped the European Union, as a member of the peace Quartet, "for once to come out of the American cloak for a just cause." Abbas' current European tour ahead of the Quartet meeting in Berlin next week should receive Arab support to "place Europe before a serious choice between submitting to America and Israel or to respond to rights and justice," it remarked.
The United Arab Emirates' al-Khaleej complained that Rice only comes to the Middle East to impose new conditions on Palestinians and Arabs. The pro-government daily said in its editorial the Bush administration only speaks in Israel's language and works to dictate this language on all those who have a role in the Middle East peace process. "An inter-Palestinian agreement is forbidden; a Palestinian government that reflects their unity is forbidden; receiving aid is forbidden; withdrawing from the pre-1967 borders is forbidden; releasing Jerusalem from captivity is forbidden; dismantling the (Jewish) settlements is forbidden," it said about the U.S.-Israeli policy. What these two allow, it opined, is a Palestinian civil war, recognizing Israel's occupation and "terror" and ending anti-Israeli resistance. "In other words, abandoning Palestine to its usurpers," it commented.
Bahrain's Akhbar al-Khaleej said although Hamas' agreement with Fatah in Mecca tacitly recognizes Israel and previous agreements, it was not enough for the U.S. administration and the "Zionist entity." The pro-government daily argued Israel and Washington exploited the bloodshed between the rival Palestinian factions to impose their conditions and policies. It said in a commentary such a position from the two was expected, and that's why they will likely obstruct any attempt to implement the Mecca accord, which it said will be "difficult to market internationally." However, it continued to say, the Palestinian agreement can succeed if the rivals commit to it and if the Arabs support it, especially host Saudi Arabia "which holds many cards and enjoys a good reputation internationally." Such Arab support, it stressed, means rejecting failure and alienating the possibility of inter-Palestinian fighting -- "which is what America and the Zionists are trying to achieve." It insisted the Arabs must break the Western-imposed sanctions on the Palestinians; otherwise, the Mecca accord will fail and the "result will be disastrous."
Jordan's al-Ghad published a cartoon criticizing what it saw as a U.S. attempt to foil the Palestinian Mecca agreement and national unity. The cartoon in the independent daily shows two hands shaking on top of a tree trunk. "Mecca" is written on one arm and "accord" on the other. Their handshake comes on top of a tree trunk stamped with the Star of David, in reference to Israel. An axe, with U.S. written on it, is falling down on the firm handshake.
