Press sees hope in Mecca talks

As talks between Fatah and Hamas in Mecca go into their second day, there is cautious optimism in the Palestinian press that the two sides can agree.

One commentator feels the rival factions now have the "political maturity" to reach a settlement, with another urging them to compensate the Palestinian people for getting into the crisis in the first place.

In the talks' host country, Saudi Arabia, one paper warns the Palestinians that this is their "very last chance", but a Lebanese commentator believes this may not be enough to force an agreement.

TALAL AWKAL IN PALESTINIAN AL-AYYAM

It seems that Fatah and Hamas have reached the political maturity which paves the way for an agreement, after force failed to achieve any goals and gains for any of them. However, we should not be too optimistic, because an agreement in Saudi Arabia will only be the beginning of a long dialogue and struggle until a political system is built on new foundations.

ABD AL-MAJID SUWAYLIM IN PALESTINIAN AL-AYYAM

Saudi Arabia would not have thrown its full weight behind the talks had it not been confident that this could lead the Palestinian parties to a serious agreement. It would not have taken such a step had it not known pretty well that both sides are ready to defuse the bomb of discord and show enough flexibility in their political positions to lift the siege.

HAFITH AL-BARGHOUTHI IN PALESTINIAN AL-HAYAT AL-JADIDAH

We hope that the negotiators emerge from the meeting with a lasting agreement that can pull the Palestinian cause and people from the bottom of the abyss. We dipped to this low point with the help of the same people because they could not bear their historic responsibility. Now they are the ones who will have to compensate us.

SAHAR B'ASIRI IN LEBANON'S AL-NAHAR

When the leaders of Fatah and Hamas said that they will not leave until they reach an agreement, they did not say this because of a sudden pureness that filled their hearts. Rather, they said it because the situation is dead serious this time. However, this seriousness does not necessarily mean that they will reach a final agreement.

EDITORIAL IN SAUDI ARABIA'S AL-RIYADH

The Mecca meeting is the very last chance for an Arab move. Everybody is responsible and no-one will be relieved of the responsibility, but this will only happen if those who have come to Mecca are the real leaders and officials.

ABD-AL-BARI ATWAN IN PAN-ARAB AL-QUDS AL-ARABI

By hosting the talks, the Saudi government is hoping to achieve two primary objectives: first, to move the Hamas movement away from the Iranian-Syrian axis and second, to calm the situation in the occupied territories and thereby help to make the three-way summit to be chaired by Ms Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, on 19 February in occupied Jerusalem, a success.

BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.