Abu Mazen in his new role as a totalitarian ruler risks alienating friends and foes alike
The president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, congratulates the newly appointed prime minister Mahmoud Abbas and invites him to a meeting with the chairman of the Fatah Movement Central Committee, Mahmoud Abbas, which will be held under the patronage of the chairman of the Executive Committee of the PLO, Mahmoud Abbas, at the domicile of the general commander of the Palestinian armed forces, none other than Mahmoud Abbas.
This is the latest anecdote that has been circulating among Palestinians since Abu Mazen appointed himself as prime minister to replace Mr Salam Fayyad, thus blocking any chances for Hamas leaders who were hoping to take over the position, said the columnist Abdulrahman Al Rashid in the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Alawsat.
What is most striking about this is that Mr Abbas was adamant on resigning from the presidency then he went and granted himself the position of PM. It is a well-known fact that Fatah, which represents the ruling party, in view of the lack of alternatives, doesn't want him to resign from the presidency. They want him as president, but no one said that he is entitled to become prime minister.
"With all due respect to Abu Mazen, his wish to run the government came as a shock to everyone especially at these times of uprisings against totalitarian rulers who monopolise the management of their respective states."
There have been whispers about the controversy with the outgoing PM Salam Fayyad who has been accused of standing in the way of some top PA figures, which was behind their wish to see him out of the cabinet in the first place. Abu Mazen's takeover of the position would open the gates to rumours and accusations in the future.
To make matters worse, international organisations and the large donor states that are currently financing the budget of the Palestinian government may reject the appointment and cease their support. In fact, governments and international funds have already stated their position on the issue. They have confidence in Mr Fayyad and have based the continuation of their financial support on the condition of his re-assignment at the helm of the cabinet.
Now that Hamas is back on the side of the PA, these donor sources would be more scrutinising in the use of their resources. Some in Hamas see Mr Abbas' move as piracy while others see him as the lesser of two evils.
"The conflict over positions of power has always plagued the PA since the late Yasser Arafat returned to Ramallah. Various concerned parties sought to persuade Abu Ammar to relinquish his style of rule that gave him total control over every state institution; a style he transferred from Fatah to the Palestinian Authority," the writer added.
A US-Russian solution is needed for Syria
Russia didn't cut all of its ties with the Arab and Western worlds when, along with China, it vetoed a UN Security Council project against the Syrian regime, said the columnist Mazen Hammad in the Qatari daily Al Watan.
"In fact, Moscow's perception of how to end the Syrian crisis isn't much different that the rest of the world's," he said. "But it found itself compelled by internal and historical factors to say no to Washington and no to its monopoly of this world."
Russia is still ready to make a solution happen. It still supports the first Arab initiative that provides for the return of monitors to Syria. But the conflict is about the steps to be taken towards the realisation of the solution.
The Arab League and the West are stressing that the regime must cease the violence, whereas Moscow insists that violence must stop on both sides at the same time.
If the desire for a solution is common between Moscow and Washington, a solution will be proposed soon based on a settlement that doesn't necessarily require military force, as proposed by the US president.
"The title is ready but the details for such measures require serious Russian-US meetings that would yield the much-awaited magical solution," the writer added.
"In the meantime, the bloodshed continues in Syria."
Corruption must be eradicated in Libya
Theoretically, a government does exist in Libya, but practically, it looks as if its influence on the ground is limited in light of the dense presence of armed military militias and the disconnection between the various provinces, said the London-based newspaper Al Quds Al Arabi in its editorial.
The popular protests continue as hundreds are demanding justice and financial remuneration and have yet to get a satisfying response from the National Transitional Council or the government.
"Official estimates reveal that Libyan deposits in European countries amount approximately to US$200 billion (Dh734billion). That is in addition to a monthly $4 billion worth of oil revenues. The question here is: where is all that money going to and why aren't the Libyans benefiting from it?" the paper asked.
The Libyan finance minister answered the question recently when he revealed a daily smuggling scheme of Libyan money through airports and border exists. "Once again, it is corruption. The same corruption that the Libyan people rose up to fight against."
The finance minister was brave to point out the corruption as he did. It is the kind of bravery that must be supported and promoted in Libya.
* Digest compiled by Racha Makarem