Bush victory consumes Middle East press

The victory of George W Bush in the US election dominates Thursday's Middle East press. In the Arab world and Iran, the mood ranges from scepticism to cynicism.

The Palestinian press is split over the Bush victory, with one commentator seeing a ray of light in a second term, while another believes it bodes ill for the Palestinians.

In Israel, there is speculation over future White House policy towards the peace process with the Palestinians and a call for Washington to take action against Iran.

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We are hoping that those who have suffered most in Bush's first term will benefit most in his second. The Palestinian arena is the best test to see whether Bush wants really to clean up his record as he knows better than anyone that he has supported Israel's state-sponsored terrorism against the Palestinian people more than anyone.

Editorial in Oman's Al-Watan

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The American people have spoken. The Arab world is called upon to take charge of its own matters and unite to protect its higher interests.

Egypt's Al-Jumhuriyah

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The hope is that there will be a tangible shift in the American policies on the Arab-Israeli conflict and all the issues in the region, be it Iraq or Sudan.

Jordan's Al-Ra'y

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We should not concern ourselves with who wins the American presidential elections, since anyone who takes the seat of power in the White House is only keen to protect Israel, even if it is in the wrong. It is only us [the Arabs] who always suffer.

United Arab Emirates' Al-Bayan

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Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden will be most happy that George Bush won a second term, a view based on the assumption that the Bush victory means the continuation of his hostile policies towards Arabs and Muslims, which will only increase hatred for the USA... The security, stability and peace of the entire world is threatened by Bush's second term.

Commentator in London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi

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The return of the ghost of the 11 September attacks in the last days before the polling could have served only the interest of the Republican president, especially since it diverted attention from America's involvement in the Iraq quagmire.

Commentator in London-based Al-Hayat

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We always bet on the losing horse. Arab and European commentators have misjudged the American mentality.

Commentator in London-based Al-Sharq al-Awsat

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The US presidential election was not free of election fraud. The Democrats objected to vote counting in areas like Ohio. This proves that the American democracy is not free of cheating, fraud and hypocrisy

Iran's Jomhuri-ye Eslami

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Bush won the election with the help of Bin Laden.

Iran's Etemaad

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The victory of George Bush proves that the people of America are interested in unilateralism, aggression and violation... and they don't realise the effigy of Bin Laden is made by the US itself.

Iran's Siyasat-e-Ruz

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The Palestinians, Arabs and all Muslims need to do some real soul-searching instead of feeling disappointed over George Bush's victory. No one in the White House or Europe will provide a solution to their problems. Expecting the wolf to safeguard the sheep is the height of stupidity - a syndrome from which the Arab world is suffering.

Iran's Kayhan International

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If a second period for Bush in the White House has become a fact, we should live with it one way or another. It is in the USA's interest to make real efforts to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and end both the occupation and settlement. It is also in its interest not to lead any more reckless military adventures in the Arab and Islamic worlds.

Palestinian Al-Quds

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I preferred Bush because there is nothing left that he has not presented to Sharon. Now, Bush is free from the Zionist lobby. He is free to implement his real policy, that is if he is sincere about it.

Comment in Palestinian Al-Hayat al-Jadidah

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This coming winter will be a very hot one after the election of George Bush whose policy is based on the element of force, pressure and war. With his re-election, the Hebrew state will open up a new war against the Palestinians.

Commentator in Palestinian Al-Ayyam

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Notwithstanding the poker-faced professions of neutrality in the last few days, Ariel Sharon and his colleagues will have been dancing - albeit probably only figuratively in the prime minister's case - as first Florida and later Ohio edged inexorably Bushwards. For the president's victory is emphatically the prime minister's victory too. The mutual admiration society now has a new lease of life.

Commentator in Jerusalem Post

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Bush's endorsement by the American people by a respectable margin is a landmark for this region, as the election was fought, more than perhaps any in history, over policies relating to this part of the world.

The Iranian regime, now the leading remnant of what Bush aptly called the 'axis of evil', is openly defying Europe and the United States. It is not clear that even the threat of painful UN Security Council sanctions will induce Iran to demonstratively abandon its nuclear programme. What is clear is that nothing short of such a threat has a hope of success, and that sanctions are the best hope for avoiding the need to take military action.

Editorial in Israel's Jerusalem Post

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America chose simplicity... No revolutionary, dramatic change is expected in Bush's thinking and conduct, especially in the Palestinian context.

Comments in Israel's Yediot Aharonot

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A sigh of relief was heard yesterday from Jerusalem all the way to Washington... But when the celebrations end in Jerusalem, they will understand it is not so simple.

In the second term, [Bush] will plan how to enter history. To do this he needs to exit Iraq honourably, defeat terrorism and calm America. It seems he cannot do all this alone. Bush will have to reconcile the world, satisfy Europe, and prove to the Islamic world he didn't declare a crusade against it. The required price for all this is simple: pressure on Israel.

Commentary in Israel's Ma'ariv

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(The President) has a nation that split in two this week... Bush must cease to conduct fanatical crusades against his opponents. He must be tough but he must listen. Tough but balanced. And he must learn to build coalitions of agreement both within and outside America.

Commentator in Ha'aretz

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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.