Arabic press unconvinced by Rice

Ms Rice speaks during a joint press conference

Editorials and commentaries in the Arabic press have few kind words for the United States, the day after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ended her visit to the region.

The popular Palestinian daily al-Quds tries to see "encouraging conditions" for peace after Ms Rice's talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders; but many other commentators appear scornful of US policy in the region, and in particular a proposed US-sponsored peace conference in the autumn.

EDITORIAL IN PALESTINIAN AL-QUDS

In the midst of the apparently encouraging conditions following US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit, it seems that there are some who are trying to hinder the progress of the intensive Palestinian, Israeli, Arab and US diplomatic efforts. They say that neither the Palestinians nor Israel are capable of paying the price of the political process, and will probably not be able to make the decisions needed due to internal problems.

COMMENTARY BY SAMIH SHBAYB IN PALESTINIAN AL-AYYAM

Rice's current visit comes as part of the efforts to reset the Middle Eastern stage in preparation for what is coming up, especially on the Iraqi-Iranian and Syrian-Lebanese fronts. As for the Israeli-Palestinian front, the efforts made are intended to enhance the legitimacy of, and militarily strengthen, President [Mahmoud] Abbas after Hamas's takeover in Gaza.

EDITORIAL IN PAN-ARAB AL-QUDS AL-ARABI

The question is: will this Middle East peace conference achieve its objective and what is the extent of [Quartet envoy Tony] Blair's role if success is achieved? To start with, the appointment of Blair as peace envoy in a region where he ignited bloody wars when he was the prime minister of his country is a strange choice... The forthcoming peace conference will just be a copy of the similar conferences in the past, if not worse.

EDITORIAL IN PAN-ARAB AL-ARAB AL-ALAMIYAH

Rice's tour has not laid the proper groundwork for peace talks or for the Bush conference planned for autumn.

EDITORIAL IN EGYPT'S AL-JUMHURIYAH

Rice pledged - during her meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah yesterday - to offer $80m as security assistance to the Palestinian Authority... The US offers Israel its most advanced weapons in abundance in order to carry out its duty in occupying Palestine, threatening the peoples of the region and protecting US interests. However, it gives the Palestinians enough weapons for them to drift into a destructive civil war.

MUSTAFA MUHAMMAD AL-FAR IN JORDAN'S AL-DUSTUR

Why does the US administration support Israel and talk about a peace conference in autumn, while ignoring the final solution issues and the demarcation of borders? It has also made no reference to the dismantling of Israeli settlements which rupture the occupied Palestinian territories; it knows that any peace talks will never achieve the desired goals.

ABD AL-WAHAB AL-MISIRI IN UAE'S AL-ITTIHAD

Does the US have anything new to offer to push forward the peace process? The danger which Arab citizens feel is that President Bush is looking for a new pretext for a new act of aggression in the region, justifying it as working for peace.

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