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BBC Monitoring Quotes From Middle East Arabic Press 13 Feb 06

Posted on: Monday, 13 February 2006, 06:00 CST

The following is a selection of quotes from editorials and comment published in the 13 February 2006 editions of Arabic language newspapers in the Middle East and North Africa, as available to the BBC at 0800 gmt. Any material from the previous day is indicated as such. Quotes from Palestinian and Iraqi newspapers and those published in the UK are being filed separately.

Iraq

Egypt's Al-Jumhuriyah [pro-govt]: www.algomhuria.net.eg "The re- showing of video showing the British forces attacking in a savage manner unarmed Iraqi youngsters opens the disgraceful file of the Anglo-American occupation forces' torture of the Iraqi brothers, scorning their dignity and soiling their mosques under the slogan of freedom and democracy for the Iraqi people." (13) (Editorial -"No democracy in enslaving the peoples")

Qatar's Al-Watan [indep, pro-govt]: www.al-watan.com "The publication yesterday by a British newspaper of pictures showing a group of British soldiers savagely attacking unarmed Iraqi youths brings back to the mind of the Arab and Islamic peoples the scandal of the collective torture at Abu-Ghurayb prison of Iraqi detainees at the hands of American soldiers and of Guantanamo camp in which about 500 Muslims have been detained for more than four years." (13) (Editorial -"New scandal")

Libya's Al-Jamahiriyah [published by the revolutionary c'ttees] www.aljamahiria.com "More than 40 blows with hands and truncheons [were counted] in less than a minute. The scene reflects a high degree of savagery, violence and sadism. This is the result of a 'video' recording published by the British newspaper the 'News of the World' in which a number of British soldiers appeared beating and kicking four Iraqi youngsters. The incident is certainly not the first, and it is likely not to be the last." (13) (Editorial - "Occupation Gate")

Jordan's Al-Ra'y [indep, pro-govt] www.alrai.com "The new government, which will hopefully represent all the spectrums, sections and constituents of the Iraq people\ should mark the new phase with its character, because the Iraqis have no choice before them other than agreement and no option other that their insistence on their national unity\ on the basis of equality and justice and not in accordance with sectarian and racial standards." (13) (Editorial -"The Iraqis are governed by agreement in the new phase")

Jordan's Al-Dustur [indep, pro-govt]: www.addustour.com "We know that the situation in Iraq is not ideal, that the real problems have not been solved and that they cannot be solved in the near future, particularly the continued foreign occupation and the deteriorating economic, social and security situation, but the Iraqis have no alternative other than continuing the work to deal with all aspects of the situation\ The Iraqis want their leadership, irrespective of whoever heads it, to lead them to security, stability and economic advancement and to improve their living conditions." (13) (Editorial -"Towards building the new Iraq")

UAE's Al-Khalij [indep, leftist]: www.alkhaleej.co.ae "Security and the uprooting of the extremist forces can be achieved by national unity. By it and through it, all the forces rally to force the occupation to depart. This is the only option before [Prime- Minister elect Ibrahim] al-Ja'fari. It is a test which all Iraqis must succeed in so that Iraq remains for them."(13) (Editorial - "Iraq's unity is the way for salvation")

Cartoons-reactions

Syria's Al-Thawrah [govt-owned]: www.thawra.com "We should be alert to what happened in (Al-Ashrafiyah) Beirut [the burning of the Danish embassy] and numerous other capitals, because the success of extremism is a defeat to us and not to those who claim to combat it\ The despicable, ridiculous drawings addressed to our Prophet [Muhammad] have offered us an actual cultural opportunity to unmask the West's freedom and democracy and show them as they are: a mono- faceted democracy." (13) (Commentary by As'ad Abboud -"Who are we lying to?")

Jordan's Al-Ra'y [indep, pro-govt] www.alrai.com "We know that there are attempts to politicize Islam, and several people talks about what they call 'political Islam'. However, the reality of the religion is one and the faith is indivisible." (13) (Commentary by Dr Muhammad Naji Amaiyrah -"Are you not going to stop?")

Egypt's Al-Ahram [pro-govt, largest circulation]: www.ahram.org.eg "Undoubtedly the extreme right in Denmark and Europe is waging a battle against the moderate governments in their countries by provoking the Muslims and Arabs out their conviction that the violent reactions against the European governments and countries will consolidate their positions\ But the biggest beneficiaries are Israel and America." (13) (Commentary by Dr Muhammad al-Sayyid Sa'id - "Who is planning to strike the relations with Europe?")

Saudi Al-Madina [unknown]: www.almadinapress.com "The observer must understand that the tour of the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana to some countries of the region, starting with the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia], constitutes an European attempt to mend the fences between Europe and the Arab and Islamic worlds against the background of the offending cartoons published in a Danish newspaper and ramifications of this regrettable incident." (13) (Editorial - "Solana's mission")

Oman's Al-Watan [indep, pro-govt]: www.alwatan.com "The Danish newspaper 'Jyllands-Posten' is characterized by double standards, because when it published cartoons harming the Prophet [Muhammad]... under the pretext of freedom of opinion and expression, it gave the editor-in-chief of the cultural section, who was responsible for publishing those cartoons, a compulsory holiday after he announced his intention to publish cartoons ridiculing the Nazi 'Holocaust' against the Jews quoting a competition announced by an Iranian newspaper, because nobody can understand the type of pressure he was subjected to." (13) (Commentary by Nasir al-Yahmudi -"The Danish newspaper and double standards")

Lebanon-Hariri-anniversary

Jordan's Al-Ra'y [indep, pro-govt] www.alrai.com "The assassination of [former Lebanese Prime Minister] Rafiq al-Hariri was the most prominent political event of last year at the regional and international levels not only for the enormity of the assassination and the shock it caused\ but in view of the ramifications and developments caused by this quake which shook the region and threw it in a vortex of violence." (13) (Commentary by Raja Talab - "The scene a year on Al-Hariri's martyrdom")

Lebanon's Al-Safir [Independent, leftist]: www.assafir.com "Assuming that 'Al-Qa'idah' was behind killing [former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq] al-Hariri is equivalent to suspecting that the organization wanted to implicate Syria, liberate Lebanon and summon international tutelage. Such goals can never occur to any Islamist no matter how stupid he may be." (13) (Commentary by Sati Nur-al- Din - "Final stop - ghost")

Lebanon's Al-Nahar [indep, centrist, Arab nationalist]: www.annahar.com.lb "We are required on the anniversary of the martyrdom of [former Lebanese Prime Minister] Rafiq al-Hariri to react to his martyrdom in a way which is tantamount to the size f his martyrdom, that is equivalent to the size of the homeland and larger than the size of the state and its president." (13) (Commentary by Ghassan Tuwayni -"So that we become the size of the homeland")

Oman's Oman [pro-govt]: www.omandaily.com "When the Lebanese mark the assassination anniversary of Al-Hariri, they will regret a lost opportunity to re-build a new Lebanon and to live the worry of their country not being able to recover its stricken national unity." (13) (Commentary by Husayn Abdallah - "A year on Al-Hariri's departure - The assassination of the dream")

Palestinians-Israel-reactions

Syria's Al-Thawrah [govt-owned]: www.thawra.com "Moscow was not saying anything other than the truth when Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his country's well-known position towards Hamas by saying 'we have never considered Hamas a terrorist organization'\ and to build a subsequent position later on this basis recognizing that Hamas had come to power in Palestine through legitimate elections and calling the others to respect the Palestinian people's choice." (13) (Commentary by Muhmmad Khayr al-Jamali - "Why is the clamour over the Russian initiative?")

Jordan's Al-Ra'y [indep, pro-govt] www.alrai.com "At a time when several quarters in our world are putting forward recognition of the State of Israel to the [Hamas] Movement, the Movement can do better if it takes the initiative to raise the issue of the wall of annexation and expansion\ in the context of a brief, firm and clear invitation to end the military, settlement occupation and to open the door way for mutual recognition between two states: an Israeli and a Palestinian." (13) (Commentary by Mahmud al-Rimawi -"Removal of the wall, but not recognizing the State of Israel")

Jordan's Al-Ra'y [indep, pro-govt] www.alrai.com "Hamas is a part of the Palestinian street, but not the whole street \ Thus, the need to deal with the Palestinian people and the Palestinian issue requires dealing with Hamas with openness, understanding and without complexes or sensitivities. Proceeding from this, the step of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin was practical and brave." (13) (Commentary by Sultan al-Hattab "The class head-student and Hamas's case")

Egypt's Al-Akhbar [pro-govt]: www.elakhbar.org.eg "The Russian invitation to Hamas is in the direction of the peaceful settlement in the Middle East \ Russian President [Vladimir] Putin's invitation to Hamas to visit Moscow may beneficial for Russia's return to the Middle East in a way which prompts the efforts to establish peace, settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and grant more international legitimacy to Hamas as an active side in that settlement." (13) (Commentary Editorial -"An important invitation for Hamas from Moscow")

Egypt's Al-Akhbar [pro-govt]: www.elakhbar.org.eg "The Palestinian people should\ act firmly against those saboteurs [kidnappers of the Egyptian diplomat] who have defined their strategy by supporting enemies [of the Palestinians] through their criminal practices directed against all those who defend their legitimate rights. They must prove to the world that they deserve freedom and sovereignty in an independent state in which security and stability prevail." (13) (Commentary by Jalal Duwaydar - "Ideas")

Syria-reshuffle

Syria's Al-Thawrah [govt-owned]: www.thawra.com " The citizens will not look at the ministers' faces, but await their achievements\ The Syrian street expects a lot from them, therefore they will be facing difficult daily tests in which they should overcome the problems and obstacles and their aim should always be 'to satisfy the citizens'" (13) (Editorial by Editor-in-Chief Abd-al-Fattah al- Awad -"The government and the daily test")

Saudi Al-Riyad [indep, pro-govt]: www.alriyadh.com.sa "The formation or reshuffling of governments in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Kuwait and the [Unite Arab] Emirates has coincided with replacing persons by others, which is natural from a theoretical point of view, because the introduction of fresh blood is a necessity. However, it is not just the enablement of the qualified, the technocrats and those with advanced qualifications that is important in the Arab world to guarantee success if the structure of the system impeding any development remains with its traditions, characteristics and monotony, but following the orders and prohibitions." (13) (Editorial -"For what purpose is the change?")

Iran-US-nuclear

Jordan's Al-Ra'y [indep, pro-govt] www.alrai.com "The drums of war are being beaten in Washington, Pyongyang and Tel Aviv, each for its own reasons and justifications. Press leaks have started in Washington through 'reliable' sources which refused to reveal their identities\ to the effect that preparations had begun for an American military strike against Iran. The news has of course been mentioned by the Sunday Telegraph (the weekly edition of the most right-wing and Zionist newspaper in Britain The Daily Telegraph) \ These leaks could be trial balloons intended to keep Tehran in a continued state of alert to exhaust it and to prevent it from continuing to raise its fists in the face of the international community (read: in the face of Israel and the USA) through its determination to go ahead with implementing its nuclear programme and embarking on uranium enrichment." (13) (Commentary by Muhammad Kharrub -"They are beating the drums of war")

Lebanon's Al-Anwar [indep, moderate, centrist] www.alanwar.com: "The conflict over the [Iranian] nuclear file is a symbol of the conflict between two projects: The Greater Middle East project, which America has made into a project for the eight industrialized countries, and the opposite project about which [Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamene'i has talked about saying 'the Americans have their plan for the Middle East and we also have our own plan for the region'". (13) (Commentary by Rafiq Khuri - "Lebanon and the chess match between Iran and the West")

Egypt's Al-Jumhuriyah [pro-govt]: www.algomhuria.net.eg "I disagree with the report published yesterday in the London-based 'Sunday Telegraph' about the USA planning to direct a military

strike against Iran in which aircraft backed by the navy and ballistic missiles fired from submarines are used under the pretext that this is the final solution if the diplomatic efforts fails. All evidence indicates that America is not on full form to enter a new adventure, particularly given the strong resistance it is facing in Afghanistan and Iraq." (13) (Commentary by Samir Rajab -"Separating lines")

Iran's Al-Vefagh [published in Arabic by IRNA]: www.al- vefagh.com "The [Iranian] people adhere to their right to possess the peaceful nuclear technology, a matter which is recognized by the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, bearing in mind that Iran has announced more than once, citing more than one senior official, that it is not about to possess or obtain the nuclear weapon." (13) (Commentary by Musib Nu'aymi - "The Holocaust in Palestine")

USA-criticism

Syria's Al-Ba'th [ruling party organ]: www.albaath.news.sy "It seems that US President George Bush continues to insist on his position over Iraq through the repetition of the phrase of 'combating terrorism' which he knows well that it has fallen in form and content, because nobody in the world, not even in the USA, is ignorant of the real intentions behind the claim of the war on terrorism\ Is there anyone who believes\ that the US Administration is actually fighting terrorism and working to spread freedom and democracy? (13) (Commentary by Dr Isa al-Shammas -"Bush and the war on terrorism")

Jordan's Al-Dustur [indep, pro-govt]: www.addustour.com "Since the collapse of the international balance of power and the appearance of the USA as the only superpower in the world, the vision of the neo-conservatives says that it is a historical opportunity for the USA to extend its hegemony over the world so that the 21st century becomes American \ Washington wants the world to repeat wholeheartedly and formally what it wants, says or draws up for." (13) (Commentary by Nawwaf Abu-al-Hayja -"If Washington says\ [ellipsis as published]!")

Source: BBC Monitoring Newsfile

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