What the papers say

Journalist Paul Moore reviews Friday's morning newspapers

"To call this the Holy land is a joke". That is the response of the Mirror to the bomb in Jerusalem that killed at least 14 people and injured 100 others.

In all the papers, graphic images of the injured compete with the image of the suicide bomber believed to have carried out the bombing.

The Independent speaks of horror in the afternoon, commenting that many of the corpses were small because the restaurant was a favourite with children.

The Daily Telegraph indicates that Israel will retaliate after carnage in the cafe and the Irish Independent speaks of the "Massacre of Innocents".

Ceasefire

There is consensus that the bombing will escalate the violence in the area, and the Irish Times in its editorial supports the call of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for international supervision of a ceasefire.

The Irish News also addresses the middle east issue in its editorial saying that in many ways the story of the middle east has been running parallel with our own troubles here in Ireland.

In both areas, the paper says, points of principle have halted the start of a lasting solution and it expresses the hope that some day soon political leaders in both areas will have the bravery to face the more difficult "yes" instead of taking the easy "no" path.

"No" features in the headline of the Newsletter which declares - "No surrender - just disarm" - a reference to the comments of Ulster Unionist negotiator Sir Reg Empey made in an eleventh hour bid to rescue the peace process.

'Sorry mess'

In its editorial, however, the paper says that if Thursday's IRA statement had been made and acted on six months ago we would not be "in the sorry mess we are in today".

A number of papers, nevertheless, see reasons for optimism despite the present crisis.

The Independent says that the peace process has taken two steps forward and one step back at a glacial pace, but it has, at least, avoided a complete breakdown.

The Guardian, in its editorial, asserts that the crisis is not as bad as it seems, and argues that the latest moves by the IRA are indeed historic.

The paper says the Saturday deadline is not a republican priority because they can move during the six week period that would follow a one day suspension, and the editorial concludes with the comment that British officials "seem to realise that the rubicon has been crossed".

"It only remains for Unionists to see that too".

Family fare

The Irish Independent highlights the problem of car insurance in Ireland, reporting that the cost of cover is going up by an average of 20% each year.

Companies claim the rises are due to big injury awards and spiralling costs but in its editorial, the paper examines the arguments about hospital and insurance company costs, concluding that it will be difficult to convince people that the decision of the hospitals and insurers to raise charges is fair.

And while a number of papers feature the change of prison for Jeffrey Archer most feature a story that could have come from one of his novels.

Barry Bagshaw picked up a fare from a motel in Brighton, got talking as taxi drivers do, and realised his fare was his lost son that he hadn't spoken to for 34 years.

None of the stories say whether he charged him or not.