The more blood is shed in Syria, the less likely it is that a peaceful solution can be reached
It is clear by now that the Arab observers' mission in Syria is stalling, Abdallah Iskandar, the managing editor of the pan-Arab newspaper Al Hayat, wrote in its columns.
Until now, the observers have not achieved any of the targets of their mission, he said.
Meanwhile, the crisis continues growing, the violence against protesters is intensifying and the number of casualties is on the rise.
At the same time, it doesn't seem as if the authorities in Damascus have any interest at all in facilitating the monitors' mission.
And nothing so far indicates that the report that the mission leader handed to the Arab ministerial committee yesterday contains any conclusive information regarding the future of the mission.
In fact, the issue will most likely be lost in the maze of Arab interactions between those who want to push for the internationalisation of the crisis by resorting to the UN Security Council, on one side, and those who believe that the observers' mission still hasn't reached a dead end, on the other hand.
"However, all that doesn't alter the fact that no changes have occurred in the situation since before the Arab delegation arrived in Damascus," said the writer.
"Violence remains the government's priority and the official Syrian stance, for the eleventh month running, still wagers that more oppression will eventually quell the protest movements."
Last week Khalid Mishaal, the Hamas leader and Syria's closest ally, who is supposed to support its position, stated that it is time to resort to a political solution for the continuing crisis. This must be seen as a matter of great significance.
Mr Mishaal is well aware of the internal situation in Syria. If his statement reflected a personal conviction, this means that the crisis has reached a critical phase, which requires the Syrian authorities to reassess their entire strategy in dealing with it.
And if Mr Mishaal was expressing his attitude as the leader of an Islamic Brotherhood organisation, then Syria will have to review all of its internal and regional calculations in the way it deals with the crisis.
"The hollow persistence by the regime in blaming the situation on a conspiracy theory and on armed gangs is no longer a useful approach. This position can lead only to prolonging the plight of the people and the regime alike," the writer added. "It is a declaration of slow suicide rather than a solution."
In the meantime, the more bloodshed there is in the streets, the more unlikely will be the arrival of any hoped-for peaceful solution that could save Syria and give it back its regional standing.
Peace talks are more than just exploratory
Are the Palestinian stuck once again in the negotiations vortex? That was the question asked by Hussam Kanafani, a contributing opinion writer, in the Emirati daily Al Khaleej.
"It is the question on the minds of Palestinians themselves, who observed the recent meeting in Amman between the PLO negotiators and the occupation authorities," he said.
Despite the apparent frustration of the Palestinian negotiators following the first meeting, they seemed adamant on holding additional meetings, both public and secret. This in itself raises another set of questions about the concept and the purpose of secret meetings.
Many questions remain unanswered as confusion sets in, especially following the statement by PA chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, who confirmed that the meetings can't be construed as a return to direct talks and are mostly exploratory.
"This is quite ironic, for if two sides of a conflict sitting together at one table to exchange ideas, documents and plans isn't a direct negotiation meeting, what is?" asked the writer.
Exploratory meetings, by definition, aren't long-lasting. They don't require weeks and don't entail documents, plans and charts - and they certainly don't include the direct interference of the US. This is no exploration; this is clearly a disguised return to negotiations.
Israel's isolation would lead to its dissipation
In contrast to the natural forward movement of history, the state of Israel is building walls to isolate it from its surrounding in a desperate attempt to preserve a so-called "racial purity", commented the Dubai-based newspaper Al Bayan in an editorial entitled The Illusions of Barriers.
"Instead of honouring its peace commitments, Israel constructs tall concrete walls, as if the other side harbours an enemy that must be avoided at any cost."
Israel's policy can't ward off the danger it fears for long, for not seeing an enemy doesn't mean that the enemy doesn't exist.
Surely, Israel's attempts to avoid dissipating into its geographic surroundings will not pay off in the long run. The transformations taking place throughout the world will eventually outweigh the raison d'être of the Jewish state.
"What about the electronic walls that protect the alleged 'purity' of the state against communication with the world? How can a wall hinder the influx of information, news and ideas?" asked the paper.
No amount of wall building will solve Israel's problem. A wall could postpone its fate for some time, but reality, reason and the experiences of peoples prove that history goes forward and nothing can stop its progress.
* Digest compiled by Racha Makarem