Press split on Palestinian resignation

Newspapers in the Middle East are split on the resignation of Palestinian Interior Minister Hani Qawasmi.

Some feel he could not do his job properly and that his resignation has brought the unity government to the brink of collapse.

Others say it will make little difference to a chronic dispute between the warring Palestinian factions, and call for a united strategy to ease tensions.

EDITORIAL IN PAN-ARAB AL-QUDS AL-ARABI

The resignation of the Palestinian interior minister, Hani Qawasmi, has led the National Unity Government to the verge of collapse... The question to be asked now is how to select a new interior minister... Will he press the same demands as Qawasmi or will he just accept holding an honorary position, not a genuine and effective one?"

YUSUF AL-QAZAZ IN PALESTINIAN AL-HAYAT AL-JADIDAH

If the interior minister admitted that he had professional and capable security advisors then why did he not use their expertise? Our people and history will record that the third Nakbah [catastrophe] took place under the current Palestinian government. Both the people and history will not have mercy on those who failed to do their jobs.

BASIM ABU-SUMAYYAH IN PALESTINIAN AL-HAYAT AL-JADIDAH

Whether the interior minister resigns or remains in position will not change anything in a country where lawlessness is widespread.

EDITORIAL IN SAUDI AL-JAZIRAH

The bloody conflict between Fatah and Hamas reflects an apparently inevitable, contagious and chronic situation. This hateful chronic situation actually augurs badly for the future, which could be dim and even black.

MUHANNAD ABD-AL-HAMID IN PALESTINIAN AL-AYYAM

The entrenchment of Hamas and Fatah in their positions while other factions try to mediate between them keeps the fires of discord glowing and ready to reignite at any moment and for any reason. So is there a way out of this vortex? The true way out of it would be the rectification of the central defect: the absence of a united strategy.

EDITORIAL IN EGYPT'S AL-JUMHURIYAH

Palestinian bloodshed with Palestinian weapons is tantamount to the crime of treason in wartime. The time has come for Palestinian leaders, either from Fatah or Hamas, to realise that they are all under treacherous enemy fire and that unity and confrontation [with that enemy] are inevitable.

EDITORIAL IN PALESTINIAN AL-QUDS

The interior minister did not spend too much time in government. The length of time spent looking for and agreeing on him was much longer than the length of time he spent in office, especially if we take into consideration that he resigned before and his resignation was turned down.

YAHYA RABAH IN PALESTINIAN AL-HAYAT AL-JADIDAH

The interior minister first resigned and then withdrew his resignation only to resign again. Thankfully, Prime Minister Ismail Haniya accepted it. Tomorrow, the new chapter of trying to agree on a new interior minister will begin. So how many pulverising battles will we have to go through before we agree on one?

SALIH AL-QALLAB IN JORDAN'S AL-RA'Y

The most important fact is that the trend which actually controls the Hamas movement signed the Mecca Accord. It is not satisfied with either [Palestinian Prime Minister] Ismail Haniya or his government.

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