The turn of locals?

The latest type of assault in Iraq was unnerving, finds out Alaa Abdel-Ghani as he leafs through the Arab press

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Up until now it had been the taking of mostly foreign hostages. But this week, in Iraq, in the town of Madaen, Iraqis were said to be turning on themselves. Reports that Sunni activists had been taking scores of Shia captives had front-page newspapers describing it as "an attempt to draw the country into sectarian war" and indeed placing it "on the verge of a civil war". (Not forgotten for a second was the influence Shias now have following January's general election that Sunnis boycotted).

But by week's end the hostage drama seemed to have dissipated, Iraqi forces saying they had failed to find any hostages or signs of killings after regaining control of Madaen. That however, did not stop talk on Iraq in general.

Jalal Talabani's election as Iraq's new president inspired cautious optimism in the commentaries of papers in Baghdad and elsewhere in the region. Many saw the choice of Talabani as an opportunity for Iraqis to cast long-standing ethnic differences aside.

"Now that Aam [Uncle] Jalal has been named president of Iraq, the government has no option but to translate slogans into facts, turn words into deeds and work for the benefit of Iraq," wrote Basim Al-Sheikh in Iraq's Al-Dustour. "The president is now responsible for Iraq in its entirety, rather than one region alone... It makes no difference whether he is a Kurd, Arab, Turcoman, Muslim, Christian or Yezidi. What is important is that he is Iraqi."

"We hope the Kurds in Iraq will have the insight to learn from the failure of the Arab national slogans..." said a commentary by Hassan Al-Batal in the Palestinian Al-Ayyam. "We hope that the transitional period will succeed so that it can be one of the pillars of a new democratic system in this complicated Middle East."

"Jalal Talabani will go down in history as Iraq's first Kurdish president... This indicates the extent of Arab tolerance and confirms that Arabs are not tribal chauvinists, as alleged by the Kurdish brothers." In the London-based, Saudi-funded Al-Quds Al-Arabi.

In Lebanon, hopes rose after the naming of a new prime minister, Najib Mikati, who has achieved what was described as a "tricky balancing act" by obtaining the support of both opposition to Syria and pro-Syrian figures. Still, Lebanon has been without a government for over six weeks, renewing anxiety in press editorials of political tension. Many commentators say the country's crisis is worsening, and that Lebanon's precarious social balance is under increasing strain.

"Lebanon is now at a dangerous crossroads," wrote Syria's Al-Thawrah in a commentary by Galib Qandil. "The country's immediate future will be gloomy and turbulent if no efforts are made to hold national dialogue to set up a new government, and contain the political split by holding parliamentary elections, as a peaceful and democratic way to resolve the issue of Lebanon's future."

In another commentary in Lebanon's Al-Safir, Wajih Qansu wrote: "It is imperative for the present Lebanese political situation to emerge from its deadlock and seriously acknowledge other participants in the country's political life, however large or small their numbers. This is the only way Lebanon can come out of a state of assumption into a state of certainty."

Also in Al-Safir, by Joseph Samahah: "Lebanon is going through an interim period. We know exactly the station we are leaving but absolutely do not know at which station we will arrive."

The London-based Al-Arab Al-Alamiyah said, "The [Syrian] withdrawal is no longer the issue. The Syrian presence in Lebanon seems to be already in the past... The Lebanese crisis is worsening day by day... It is going round in empty circles with demonstrations and counter-demonstrations which could lead to the danger of a political and constitutional vacuum."

Neatly summing up the situation was Jordan's Al- Dustour : "Our hands are on our hearts in fear for this beloved country."

Al-Ittihad of the UAE prominently displayed the news that the US wants Israel to explain plans to build new homes in the West Bank, days after Washington urged an end to settlement expansion. In reaction to the meeting in Texas between President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Palestinian papers were skeptical that any progress had been made. One editorial complained that Israelis and Palestinians are subject to different standards.

"Despite the positive points in the statements made by George Bush during his meeting with Ariel Sharon, he ignores the fact that the whole West Bank and Jerusalem are occupied territories subject to resolutions 242 and 338...," wrote an editorial in the Palestinian Al-Quds. "It is strange that he asks his Israeli host to refrain from expanding the Maale Adumim settlement, while requiring the Palestinians to acknowledge the creeping settlement reality."

In the Saudi-financed Al-Hayat Jason Erb said that while the Middle East is awash in peace initiatives, "was there anything different this time that may indicate a truly historic opportunity? Neither Arafat's death nor the Gaza withdrawal change realities that have blocked previous hopeful episodes. Settlements expand, the separation wall continues to be built, Palestinian refugees remain stateless, Hamas builds rockets and Palestinian security forces remain unregulated and undisciplined. Windows of opportunity in Israel and Palestine are slippery, based more on peoples perceptions than on concrete changes.

"It is often the politicians and analysts who see these opportunities, while large numbers of Israelis and Palestinians do not. Instead they see deterioration in the face of optimistic headlines, summits and eloquent statements."

In the same paper, under "Lies and handshakes", Salama Nematt wrote that the Israeli prime minister "had declared in front of the US president his commitment to the roadmap in order to reach a peaceful settlement with the Palestinians, and at the same time, he assured that the Maale Adumim settlement in the West Bank will remain part of Israel and the hell with the roadmap. Is there a limit to the political hypocrisy if not to say blunt deceitfulness?"

For some, though, the picture was not totally gloomy. In a snap online poll by Al-Hayat the question was: would Jewish radical elements try to violate Al-Aqsa Mosque to undermine the peace process? Those voting "no" were 68.4 per cent, "yes" 15.8 per cent and 15.8 per cent who did not know.

At his Texas ranch, Bush is to receive another foreign leader, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, on 25 April the focus of which will be the peace initiative as stated by Abdullah at the 2002 Arab summit in Beirut. It will be "a true supplement to the roadmap," according to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al- Faisal in the Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat. The initiative, based on the principle of land for peace, calls on Israel to withdraw from all occupied Arab territories in exchange for Arab normalisation of relations with Israel. While focusing on Abdullah's current oversees trip, the paper also quoted Saud as saying the Kingdom did not sign any deals with France to buy advanced military aircraft during Abdullah's recent visit to Paris. "Abdullah's visit was more significant than concluding commercial deals," Saud said.