Arab press sceptical over roadmap

Arab papers in the Middle East and London are sceptical of Israel's good intentions over implementation of the roadmap ahead of talks with the Palestinians on Saturday.

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This roadmap is a map which leads nowhere.

Palestinian Al-Quds

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Nowadays, political steps are being taken for the "peace train" to get back on track, after Israel destroyed both the train and the railway though its rejection of the basic principles of a just peace... It is the Israeli Government which sabotaged even Colin Powell's initiatives, during his visit to Israel, by rejecting the dismantling of settlements in the occupied territories and persisting in its policy of killing, destruction and terrorism... Syria is ready for peace if the other side is also ready for peace. However, reality proves the contrary. President Bashar al-Assad has already said: We do not trust Sharon. This is not only his personal view, but also that of Arab officials, Europeans and foreigners.

Syria's Tishrin

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The behaviour of the Sharon government is threatening to blow up the roadmap. The USA, EU and the UN, in their capacity as members of the Quartet, must exert pressure on Israel to stop its actions, which are exacerbating the situation.

Egypt's Al-Ahram

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The efforts being carried out by Washington to calm the situation, and the diplomatic shuttle tour by the US secretary of state will have no meaning as long as the settlement programme and the occupation continues... Arab public opinion's suspicions about the implementation of the roadmap have increased, particularly after Israel challenged all US promises and continued its aggression... The only hope is for the Arabs to make efforts to push the rest of the Quartet - Russia, the EU and the UN - to exert pressure on Israel.

Egypt's Al-Jumhuriyah

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The meeting between Palestinian Premier Mahmoud Abbas/Abu Mazen and his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon could have been an important meeting between the two sides... But we do not expect anything positive to emerge from this meeting and do not believe Sharon will give the Palestinians anything meaningful with good intentions.

Qatar's Al-Watan

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The implementation of the roadmap should actually begin from Israel and nowhere else in the region, because Israel is the unjust and occupying country committing ugly terrorism against international laws and conventions... under US protection... With Sharon's announcement that he will put up new settlements, and Powell's announcement that he will not exert any pressure on Israel to accept the roadmap, all Arabs are urged to understand the reality that the roadmap is nothing but a new comedy.

UAE's Al-Khalij

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What is required from Israel in return for stopping the resistance is the return of normal life to Palestine.

London's Al-Hayat

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Logic says that Mr Abu Mazen should avoid holding any meetings with Sharon unless he withdraws from all the areas of self-governance that he occupied... Mr Abu Mazen forgets that he is a leader of a government that does not rule a non-existent autonomy and a country that is still invisible, but has given in to the roadmap implemented to deprive the Palestinian people of its greatest invention and achievement, namely the intifada.

London Al-Quds Al-Arabi

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BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.