Arab Perspective: Bombings bring terrorism to the fore

The bombings in Amman shook Arab feelings, and anyone who had love of brotherhood in his/her heart, says Ali Al Girash of Al Sharq (Qatar).

The attacks also shook Arab governments who made an immediate effort to show support for the Jordanian government.

Al Girash questions though, "Where are Arabic morals and where is the noble-mindedness when it comes to the daily acts of terrorism in Iraq?"

He continues, "How come with Iraq, Arab governments don't declare their condemnation of terrorist acts by the same terrorists responsible for Amman's bombing?"

The writer concludes, "It's important that Arab minds realise that terrorism is an unacceptable act, regardless of where it comes from and who the victim is. This is because terrorism makes no difference when it comes to religion, sects or race."

In an article titled Amman is not Jerusalem, Housam Kanafani of Al Khaleej (UAE) argues that attempting to explain the Jordan blasts by linking it to Israel is dangerous and unnecessary.

He refers to an anonymous journalist who explained that Jordan's experience with terror (as well as Egypt's at Sharm Al Shaikh) is the prize "we" have to pay to end Palestine's occupation.

Kanafani says this is insulting to the martyrs who fell in Jordan. He concludes, "Amman is not [Occupied] Jerusalem and Sharm Al Shaikh is not Haifa and Baghdad is not Yafa … Targeting these cities cannot in any shape or form be considered a first step towards liberating Palestine".

An editorial by Addustour (Jordan) contends, when catastrophes strike, something positive also comes out of them.

In this particular case, Jordan blasts "opened up eyes to the country's sources of power".

"This criminal act provided an opportunity to take a fresh look at the Jordanian scene … we see great things; martyrs, unity amongst Jordanians and a defiant security system."

In Al Akhbar (Egypt), Mohammad Abdul Munem argues, terrorism "has succeeded in hiding behind Islam"; people are confused between a divine religion on the one hand, and a series of killing operations and crimes which all religions forbid.

And despite this, says Abdul Munem, this confusion did not last long.

"People realised that a clear separation between religion and these crimes exist and as a result, have combated this form of aggression."

Abdul Munem asks for the same thing to be done in Iraq.

Furthermore, there must be an answer to this question: Are the acts of Al Zarqawi and his likes forms of resistance? Or are they considered acts of terrorism?"

Abdul Munem also questions the perpetrators of these acts. Are they martyrs or criminals who have been brain-washed?

He concludes, this must be addressed by the people of the Middle East without fear or hesitation.

Mustafa Akkad, a well-known Syrian producer who had been staying at one of the three hotels hit by suicide bombers in Amman, died as a result of the attack.

Abdul Rahman Al Rashid of Al Sharq Al Awsat (London) says Akkad and another 60 victims who were murdered in the bombings of Amman, and the two Moroccan embassy workers in Iraq have been "added to the list of terrorism's victims".

Moreover, "Amman has been added to the list of terrorism's targets, which has spared no one between Makkah and Casablanca."

Al Rashid concluded, "Terrorists had awarded Akkad for his noble works of art but had granted him the most atrocious of deaths. Akkad, who has served Islam a thousand times better than extremists who claim to be the defenders of Islam whilst they are its very enemy, was murdered by the hands of extremists."

Al Watan newspaper (Saudi Arabia) points out that there is a grave difference between Akkad (who believed in the significance of the media) and Al Zarqawi (who believes in terrorism and the killing of innocents).

The latter intentionally planned to distort the image of Islam.

Akkad's message to the world was clear says Al Watan "to convince people globally that we [Middle Easterners] are not terrorists as the Zionist media advocates".

This filmmaker believed the answer to this common perception concerning Muslims and Islam was through media and media only.

This is wholly the opposite of what Al Zarqawi presents through violence and killing of innocents. "Again, the difference between the two characters is enormous."