Arab Perspective: Israeli poll eclipses Khartoum summit

Jassem Al Shamery of Al Seyassah, a Kuwaiti newspaper, says: "It wasn't hoped that the Arab Summit would conclude with more than a compositional document bearing ink that dried as soon as the last Arab president jetted off back to his country." This is due to numerous reasons. The most visible one is the fact that there isn't a clear vision or real goal behind the Arab Summit. Al Shamery argues that the summit "doesn't act as a regional framework that combines the scattered countries that lead in different directions and only have the Arabic language as a common point".

Moreover, all the summits so far, have failed to reach the crux of problems or the reasons behind them. Instead, "these summits focus on the outside image only out of being courteous ? They want to make sure that the image projected to their adversaries does not show Arabs as being in dispute and this ultimately makes things worse."

Salama Ahmad Salama of Al Ahram newspaper (Egypt) says, "It has become clear that the current international setting has not allowed the Arabs a chance to move." The Khartoum Summit took place amid a number of international "arrangements" which he says "blocked the possibility for an Arab action". This has ultimately weakened the Arab summit.

Salama argues that the only positive decision out of this year's Arab League Summit is the renewal of Amr Mousa's term as secretary-general. He concludes, "Whether the Arabs agree to this or not, international interference occurs most of the time when it comes to regional matters ? Sometimes, Arab states are aware of this interference but most of the time, they are not."

Israeli elections

Abdul Rahman Al Rashid of Al Sharq Al Awsat (London) writes, "I believe it was Abu Mazen who said that results of the Israeli elections don't matter to us ? The truth is, they [Israeli elections] always mattered to us more than any Arab elections."

Al Rashid contends Abu Mazen must have said this to try to avoid making a statement or a comment about the actual elections. It was also done to try to "avoid adopting positions that might have high political costs in the future for Palestinians". This is why the Palestinian prime minister left Israelis to say what they want to say because in the end, there will come an Israeli prime minister who will have to deal with the reality that there will not be peace for Israel if there is no peace for Palestinians.

Al Bayan newspaper (UAE) says, "The man coming to power in Tel Aviv carries in his pocket Arial Sharon's project, which is drawing final border lines for Israel and totally and despotically isolating the Palestinians." The Palestinian front according to Al Bayan has rejected this plan, but at the moment has no options.

"In choosing Kadima, the Israeli voter is leaning towards destroying the "roadmap". This is because Olmert does not even consider any other project which might conflict with his mentor Arial Sharon's project."

The Palestinian voter chose a government that refused to recognise previous agreements and the latest proposal (calling for the isolation of Palestinian territories) has killed any hope that was left.

Mohammad Kharoub of Al Rai newspaper (Jordan) argues the Khartoum Summit "was not the main event ? the Knesset elections stole the lights and received attention from all Arabs".

This is because the Arabs realise that the Israeli electorate is the one who will decide on the next schedule for this region's activities and not those who met in Khartoum and who produced a recurring document which bears no honesty or signs of any commitment.

Kahroub adds, "Everyone in the Arab world is busy trying to analyse the results of Israel's elections ? In fact, some Arabs, particularly those belonging to the Palestinian National Authority, have expressed happiness at the loss of the Likud party, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu and have welcomed Ehud Olmert's win."

The writer concludes, "Israelis are the decision makers in the Middle East and they control matters of war and peace."

This is a result of the Arab's resignation from their positions as decision makers and it comes as Arabs now await "offers" from Israel instead of making the offers themselves.