The US Congress’s adoption of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (Jasta) Bill was the topic that dominated headlines in the region’s papers.

Arab and Islamic countries were some of the first to express their opposition to the global phenomenon that is terrorism, said the UAE’s Al Khaleej.

“September 11 was a turning point in global awareness and achieving the war against extremism and terrorism. This partnership was sorely required, because no comprehensive solution would exist without a comprehensive vision. And that is why there is criticism being levelled against the US Congress for adopting this law, which may lead to the entire issue going back to square one. The negative effects of this law will most definitely hit every part of the region, as well as the US itself. In a statement, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, warned of the negative effects of the law on all countries, including the US, and the possible impact of chaos in the context of international relations. All international efforts against terrorism are unified. The continuity of such efforts is of utmost importance, and this law only lays the groundwork that paves the way for more violence and, ironically, will serve terrorism.”

Wisdom betrayed American lawmakers when they passed the “Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act” bill, said Qatar’s Al Sharq.

“The law will harm international relations and US interests because it is a law that violates principles of international law and sovereignty of countries. The law sets a dangerous precedent in the concept of international relations, and will lead to chaos in said relations. It is in the US’s interests to rethink this step and instead look into the damage and impact this law will have on its relations and interests. The US has to look to the future, and US President Barack Obama has the opportunity to veto this law before the end of his term. Qatar, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and the Arab League have expressed their concerns, calling on the US to reconsider this law and make the right decision by not ratifying it, because the law can cause serious damage to both the country’s interests and relations. This law will open the doors for the principle of reciprocity as a guaranteed right, and as such, both the US and its citizens will be prone to being sued by other countries.

One must keep in mind that Saudi Arabia had suffered Al Qaida’s terror long before the September 11 horrendous attacks; it does not make sense for a victim to stand for the criminal’s wrongdoing, said the London-based Pan-Arab paper Asharq Al Awsat.

“Should by some unfortunate abomination a Saudi national be subjected to radicalisation, and commit crimes, does that mean that the government must hold trial on their behalf? That is equivalent to saying that social media companies experiencing the exploitation of terror ideology, and using their services to spread spite and incite crime, means that the companies must hold trial too. Saudi Arabia ranks top among the countries to make most arrests against all who are suspected of affiliation to terror organisations, or even those who are suspected of reaching out for recruitment and those who attempted to travel to war zones. Congress is making a huge mistake when passing the Jasta bill, which Saudi Arabia is chiefly targeted by. Saudi Arabia is the true key to countering terrorism. Without Saudi contribution, the world would not be in an easy situation.”