Media divided over Lebanon killing

Middle East media are lamenting the assassination of Lebanese general Francois al-Hajj but point the finger of suspicion in various directions.

Some Lebanese papers, without directly accusing anyone, blame the political vacuum caused by the country's inability to appoint a president as creating the conditions for a wave of terrorism. One paper suggests that the army is no longer exempt from attacks as it becomes more involved in politics.

Israeli and Arab papers trade accusations with each other while a pan-Arab paper wonders if Al-Hajj's killers are Islamic militants taking revenge for the Lebanese army's drive to kick out militants from the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp.

RA'UF SHAHURI IN LEBANON'S AL-ANWAR

No-one expected this grievous crime. What killed Brig-Gen Francois Al-Hajj is the storm of terrorism resulting from the presidential vacuum.

JIHAD AL-ZAYN IN LEBANON'S AL-NAHAR

The assassination is definitely related to the political role of the Lebanese army, which is reaching a new political peak. It was a decision made by someone who wants to terrorise army officers.

ALI HAMADAH IN LEBANON'S AL-NAHAR

The assassination is a meaningful message to the Lebanese people that the crisis is not over and whoever considers himself to be in a strong position should not think of rushing towards a settlement now.

AS'AD A'BUD IN SYRIA'S AL-THAWRAH

Because you [Francois al-Hajj] truly represent the army that has always been one of the pillars of peace, stability and sovereignty in Lebanon, they killed you.

MUSIB NA'IMI IN IRAN'S AL-VEFAGH

The assassination is a sign of the complexity of the Lebanese situation. There is no doubt that the Zionist entity is at the forefront of the parties that benefit from escalating the situation.

JACKY HUGI IN ISRAEL'S MA'ARIV

The murder of Francois al-Hajj, number two in the Lebanese army, is wholly a Syrian initiative that was thought up and carried out by its allies in the Lebanese capital.

ZVI BAREL IN ISRAEL'S HA'ARETZ

The terrorists sent a clear message to the army: in Lebanon there is no immunity even for an institution considered politically clean.

CALEV BEN-DAVID IN ISRAEL'S JERUSALEM POST

The killing of Al-Hajj delivers a warning to the Lebanese army that they will not enjoy any immunity from the kind of retribution Syria and its allies in Lebanon have meted out in recent years to the politicians who have stood in their way.

JAMIL AL-NIMRI IN JORDAN'S AL-GHAD

For the first time we have strong reason to accuse Israel who definitely does not want control of the army to rest in the hands of such a man.

PAN-ARAB AL-QUDS AL-ARABI

It is not improbable that Fatah al-Islam elements or Al-Qa'idah may have been the ones who carried out the assassination, out of revenge.

EGYPT'S AL-AKHBAR

This is a painful strike to the Lebanese military institution, which is known for its honourable patriotic history and is the symbol of Lebanese unity.

EGYPT'S AL-JUMHURIYAH

With the killing of its director of operations by unknown people, the Lebanese army has become part of the difficult equation in Lebanon.

REPORTER ON AL-ARABIYA TV

The condemnation of the murder of Francois al-Hajj by conflicting political forces in Lebanon means that the crime may help bring about a swift consensus which is desperately needed by Lebanese political leaders.

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