Bottom Lines

"We have to try to heal the Palestinians... something like a cage has to be built for them... there is a wild animal there that has to be locked up one way or another." -- Benny Morris in Ha'aretz

"The US has decided that there is no problem with the Israeli occupation of Arab territories and that the so-called 'war on terrorism' is the only issue on the agenda when it comes to the Middle East." -- Bothaina Shaaban, Asharq Al-Awsat

"The more Syria sticks to its rights and principles [regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict], the stronger the statements made against Damascus by the US and Israel... The objective is to force Syria to succumb to the will of the others..." -- Ali Aliqa Erssan, as quoted in Al-Bayan

"The world held its breath at imaginary, impending terrorist attacks on US cities. No-one heeded the real and savage onslaught by Israeli forces on the historic Palestinian city of Nablus." -- Fahmy Howeidy, Al-Ahram

"It is not right for the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed El-Baradei to be a lion when it comes to Iran's nuclear programme and a lamb when the matter concerns Israel." -- Amin Howeidy, Al-Ahali