As French and American diplomats at the UN re-draft the resolution to try to end the fighting in Lebanon, newspapers in the Middle East are sceptical of the chances of a successful outcome.
One Lebanese commentator accuses the US of displaying double standards in its treatment of Lebanon and says his country is negotiating "under fire", while an Iranian daily says Israel and the US are "toying with the international rules".
Commentators in Israel itself are focusing mostly on the domestic politics behind the Israeli military operation, but one editorial in the Jerusalem Post describes Lebanon as "foolhardy" for rejecting the original draft of the resolution, handing Israel "a second chance to avoid defeat".
RA'UF SHAHURI IN LEBANON'S AL-ANWAR
Today the US orders Israel to continue its killings and destruction in Lebanon while at the same time conducting negotiations with the Lebanese delegation in the United Nations. The painful reality is that Lebanon is negotiating with America under fire.
EGYPT'S AL-JUMHURIYAH
We do not expect that the Security Council, which is controlled and manipulated by the United States, will take a just decision that meets Lebanese requests, stops the destructive Israeli aggression, liberates Lebanese soil and releases the prisoners. The United States does not care about the present or the future of Lebanon.
ABD-AL-BARI ATWAN IN PAN-ARAB AL-QUDS AL-ARABI
The Arab League delegation which is presently in Washington is facing a very difficult mission to convince permanent members of the UN Security Council to make amendments to the Franco-American draft resolution that would cater to the demands of Arabs... If the Arab leaders are serious, they will be capable of containing the current dangers and putting an end to the Israeli rampage by using the power cards that they have.
SAUDI ARABIA'S AL-JAZIRAH
Lebanon, backed by the Arabs, took steps towards peace through committing to deploy 15,000 soldiers in the south. It is now time to await reactions from Israel and the international community, and the next few days will prove whether the world really wants peace.
IRAN'S SHARQ
The resolution presented by France and America will be negotiated at the UN in the near future and will be accepted... Even if Hezbollah is disarmed, it shows its superior position in this story.
IRAN'S SIYASAT-E-RUZ
The Zionist regime could not reach its pre-planned objectives in Lebanon and Palestine by means of military power, so now it is trying to achieve its goals by requesting the help of its western allies and international organizations. It is trying to realise its policies in Palestine through Lebanon.
IRAN'S JAM-E-JAM
The Lebanon war challenges all of mankind's achievements in the last century regarding the idea of not using war and power to solve problems. The Zionist regime and America are toying with the international rules.
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