AMMAN, Jordan, June 29 (UPI) -- Arab press roundup for June 29:
The London-based al-Quds al-Arabi said in a front-page commentary Thursday that Israel was expected to carry out new massacres against the Palestinians in Gaza when the White House says Israel has the right to defend itself and when Israeli war planes fly above the Syrian president's palace. The independent Palestinian-owned daily complained the U.S. administration has clearly set aside international laws and deviated from the morals of the American founding fathers by supporting Israel's aggression. It asked whether it was worth destroying the only electric power plant in Gaza and massing thousands of military equipment and personnel to launch an attack to save a kidnapped Israeli soldier. "Israel would have the right to defend itself if it was a tame lamb that is really facing aggression from a powerful nation," the paper said, "but it kills, kidnaps, starves and endlessly humiliates the Palestinians without a single word of protest for fear of upsetting the Americans." It complained that many American, British and French troops and civilians were kidnapped in Iraq and Afghanistan and other places, "but we did not see such a commotion as this one over the Israeli soldier."
Jordan's ad-Dustour warned in its editorial against a new Israeli raid of Gaza and more killing and destruction under the pretext of rescuing an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian fighters this week. The mass-circulation daily said if the Israeli military assault is brutal and fierce against the Palestinian people, the political aggression by the international community, led by the United States, is even worse when thousands of Palestinians are held prisoners in Israel. It added the international political and media campaigns over the kidnapping of the Israeli soldier gave Israel the political cover to wage a war against the Palestinians. The paper, which describes itself as independent but is partially owned by the government, said the international position that asked the Palestinians to exercise self-restraint after the "filthy crime committed by the Israeli army in killing an entire peaceful family" is pushing Israel to retaliate relentlessly to the kidnapping of its soldier. "Israel's aggression and crimes don't take place out of a vacuum," the paper insisted, "but are an imminent result of a global public opinion that is biased and gives an official cover for killing and destruction under the pretext of self-defense."
Oman's al-Watan commented that Israel will not stop its aggression on the Palestinians even if they handed over the soldier unharmed because "this has been its approach since the establishment of this (Jewish) state." The pro-government daily speculated the kidnapping of the soldier brought to the minds of Israeli leaders the methods used by Lebanon's Hezbollah guerilla group during its resistance against Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. It assumed that Hezbollah's "infections" is the problem and guessed Israel might target the Lebanese Shiite group to stop its influence. "Some Palestinian leaders in Lebanon expect that Israel will launch a surprise attack against a Hezbollah base," it said, adding the repercussions of such a move would be devastating for Israel. It opined that if the Jewish state used all its military might against the Palestinian people in search of its soldier, it will only be disappointed.
Lebanon's as-Safir said the developments in Gaza are indirectly linked to the Lebanese national dialogue, which resumes Thursday to discuss the so-called "defense strategy," or the fate of Hezbollah's weapons. The independent daily said the Palestinian fighters' resistance and success in kidnapping an Israeli soldier from inside his tank was a Hezbollah ambition and "substance of its plan in retrieving Lebanese prisoners from Israeli jails." It predicted the debate over the "defense strategy" might not be discussed Thursday by Lebanese political leaders because of the similarity between the Lebanese and Palestinian situations, although both are separate issues despite the same enemy. "Hezbollah has the right and duty to regard the confrontation in Gaza as consolidating its credibility" on its strategic defense position and to adopt it (resistance) as its only national option to protect Lebanon, it argued. The mass-circulation daily said the organization also has the right to express solidarity with the Palestinian resistance "and even join the open Palestinian front that requires mobilization on the southern Lebanese borders" with Israel. It said other Lebanese politicians, on the other hand, have the right to ask Hezbollah if this strategy is indeed the only option to defend Lebanon, or if there are other choices that would be less costly and dangerous than the price the Palestinians are paying.
Kuwait's al-Rai al-Aam commented on the legislative elections being held in Kuwait Thursday, saying it was not enough to seek a strong parliament, but also a strong government. "By strong, we don't mean the ability to create political crises or a spirit of challenges between the two authorities," the pro-government paper said, "but on a government with clear plans and working agenda" to draw up the future of Kuwait. It said that election day is the "day to draw up the future of Kuwait and its political face for the next four years." The daily insisted that despite everything that has happened in the campaign battles and the political crisis that led to the early elections, "we must be optimistic and to give positive lessons to the rest of the world on the meaning of nationalism."
