JORDAN

JORDAN
Jordan Times, Amman, May 18: It was highly expected that war on Iraq and America's failure to timely and adequately address the deadlock in the Middle East peace process would have led to a recrudescence of terrorist activities in Arab countries.
The brutality and deadly rage unleashed against tens of innocent people exceeded the worst expectations.
These acts seem to indicate a solid organizational structure, an intact and functioning chain of command and a high degree of coordination and communication amongst operatives of the same terror group.
The region's governments must show the same solid organization, effective cooperation, seamless communication and top-level coordination in their response to these terrorists.
Society's view
The first step should be to make sure once and for all that terrorism is looked at by all of society -- from ultra-religious to very secular segments, from easily impressionable adolescents to disenchanted and disgruntled adults, from rich to poor.
Too many people, for too long, have been saying that there is a fine line between terrorism and legitimate resistance. There is not. The red, thick line that separates the two is clearly drawn with the blood of innocent victims.
EGYPT
Egyptian Gazette, Cairo, May 20: Although disappointing, the failure of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon to resolve differences over setting into motion a U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan came as no surprise. The Saturday meeting, the first of its kind between the Palestinians and the Israelis, was apparently held at Washington's behest, which is at pains to whitewash its deeply dented image in the region.
Sharon, whose name conjures up in the Palestinian mind a long catalogue of horrors, had made it clear before meeting Abbas that he would not accept the 'road map' scheme as it stands.
Pro-Israeli lobby
Optimists pinned their hopes on a meeting, which was originally scheduled for Tuesday between Sharon and U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington, to improve the fortunes of the plan. Still, the Israeli premier used Sunday's double bombing in Jerusalem to cancel his trip. Even if he had gone to Washington, Sharon would not have relented on buying the peace plan in its present shape, which the Palestinians have already accepted. Bush will most likely think twice before putting pressure on his intransigent ally for fear of offending pro-Israeli lobbyists and (hurting) his reelection chances.