Sectarian divisions threaten Egypt's stability

Arabic editorials also discuss the Israeli lobby in France, the Syrian minister for foreign affairs' delusional threats and Libya's new order.

Egypt must not go down sectarian path

"If you wish to destroy a nation, tear its social fabric apart and paralyse its economy, all you have to do is stoke simmering sectarian sentiments, because these would run like wild fires," the pan-Arab newspaper Al Quds al Arabi said yesterday.

The newspaper was commenting on Sunday's clashes between Christians, Muslims and security forces in Egypt, which left 24 dead and at least 200 injured. The clashes came after an attack last week on a church in southern Egypt, reportedly marking the worst sectarian violence in the country since the beginning of the revolution in January.

Egypt's Christians, the Copts, are angry, the newspaper said. And that is perfectly understandable.

"Indeed, our Coptic brothers have faced a great deal of discrimination and repression under the old regime. They were not free to build churches; they were denied access to senior positions in the police and the army, which is a grave injustice that must no longer be tolerated."

What is also unacceptable is the escalation of clashes with the military at this sensitive juncture in Egypt's history. Most of those killed in the clashes were security forces.

Coptic elders must be quick to come out with a message that favours self-restraint and dialogue, the newspaper said. And the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which rules the country, must show patience.

Zionists livid over fair French TV programme

The Jewish lobby in France is furious over the broadcast last week of a television programme by the French public channel, France 2, in which the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the possibility of the establishment of a Palestinian state were fairly discussed, wrote Mohamed Obeid, a columnist with the Emirati newspaper Al Khaleej.

In a letter to the head of France's national broadcaster, Remy Pflimlin, the leader of the so-called Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions, Richard Prasquier, said the programme in question - An Eye on the Planet - has "infuriated the Jewish community" as it treated "a complex conflict from a cynical and unilateral point of view" and "distorted the facts" and "made allusions bearing resemblance to anti-Semitic conspiracy theories", the columnist said.

Mr Pflimlin and his head of news were due to meet this week with the Israeli ambassador to Paris and the leader of the Jewish community in France to resolve "the issue".

"As if the ceiling of French media freedom has now become Israel's side of the story on its historical conflict with the Arabs and the Palestinians," the columnist said. "As if the Israeli ambassador and the leader of the Jewish community in France … are indeed the country's media censors."

Arabs are required to do far more than denounce the brazen objections of Jewish lobbies everywhere, the writer said.

Al Muallam errs on the side of caution

The Syrian minister of foreign affairs, Walid Al Muallam, warned that his country would take "grave measures" against countries recognising the Syrian National Council, wrote the editor-in-chief, Tareq Alhomayed, in a leader article for the pan-arab newspaper Asharq al Awsat.

"But what are these harsh measures?" asked the writer.

"Will Syria, for example, ban the sale of sophisticated weapons to Europe, or will damage the Turkish economy by resorting to market dumping strategies? Will it be able to deploy its battleships and block strategic waterways? This is [totally] absurd, and is no less surprising than an early statement by Mr Al Muallam threatening to wipe Europe off the map."

Some may think that Mr Al Assad might severe relations with countries that recognise the council, but this is unlikely. Damascus did not dare to do this, even though EU and US both imposed sanctions on the regime.

It did not withdraw its ambassadors, or take serious action against western heads of missions, namely those of the US, UK and France, who expressly supported protesters and moved freely beyond the territorial range determined by the regime.

"Or did Mr Al Muallam draw on the report leaked by one of the Iranian news agencies saying that Mr Al Assad is able to torch the region in six hours."

We will see what the regime can do, other than throwing eggs and tomatos at western ambassadors.

New Libya's masters are in the loop

Sirte, the birthplace of Col Muammar Qaddafi, may soon fall, an event that will mark the official liberation of Libya from prolonged foolishness and recklessness, wrote the UAE newspaper Al Bayan in its editorial.

Of course, freedom has come at a high price. Blood was spilt and lives were sacrificed for the sake of justice and integrity. Therefore, Libya's new masters should always bear this in mind and never undermine under any circumstances the achievements made.

"Libya's new leaders have to engage in a battle that is no less important than that of liberation." And if the latter was made possible by sacrificing lives, rebuilding the country - constitution and state institutions - will require of [Libyans] to be patient... and conscious of public interests. They also should avoid differences… that normally emerge after the success of any revolution."

It is worth mentioning that many of history's glorious revolutions have lost their focus because of narrow interests and internal divisions.

Libya's rebels should be aware of those who seek to spoil their achievements, but at the same time, they need to explore the successful examples worldwide.

* Digest compiled by The Translation Desk