A blow to Assad in Istanbul, and to liberals in Cairo

The Syrian National Council received a significant boost Sunday as it won international recognition in the “Friends of Syria” conference in Istanbul. This diplomatic achievement for Syria’s main opposition group leads the news in Arabic media Monday.

“More than 80 countries strip Assad of legitimacy and recognize the [Syrian] National Council,” reads the headline of Saudi-owned daily A-Sharq Al-Awsat. The daily reports that the summit recognized the SNC as a “legitimate representative of the Syrian people,” dismissing Assad as sole representative of Syria.

“A moment of truth for Syria,” writes A-Sharq Al-Awsat editor Tareq Homayed in an editorial Monday. “The Friends of Syria conference yesterday is a starting point to respond to Assad’s crimes, as well as a clear message that Assad’s departure is certain.”

Homayed continues to heap praise on the Syrian summit, noting that it prescribes cooperation with Russia and China as well as the establishment of a fund to arm the Syrian opposition.

“We may say that the Istanbul conference was a success and constitutes a real setback for the regime following its recent achievements.”

According to liberal daily Al-Hayat, the Istanbul conference “places the ball in the court of international representative Kofi Annan,” demanding that he set a timetable for the implementation of his plan. This would include a return to the UN Security Council if Syria does not stop its violence against civilians.

Al-Hayat columnist Jameel Theyabi criticizes the weak American policy towards Syria’s. He had attended a press conference with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Riyadh on Saturday, describing her diplomatic evasion of questions concerning the arming of the Syrian opposition “as though she was crossing a minefield.”

“Like others, I tried to understand the American position on the Syrian revolution, but Mrs. Clinton thwarted my best efforts,” writes Theyabi. “Is it in America’s interest to prolong the bloodshed in Syria? Why did it appear recently as though it wishes to tie the Syrian issue to the Iranian issue? Why has the American position not moved forward for months and not surpassed a weakened request of Assad to stop the violence and relinquish power? Did Russia succeed in ‘dwarfing’ the American position?”

Shater’s nomination rocks the Egyptian political boat

The nomination of Muslim Brotherhood official Khairat Shater as presidential candidate in the upcoming elections is sending shock waves throughout Egypt’s political system Monday. The reaction of most Arabic-language media to the report range from lukewarm to downright hostile.

Al-Hayat reports that the Muslim Brotherhood has begun contacting the fundamentalist Salafist Nour party in order to garner support for Shater’s candidacy among Egypt’s more stringent politicians. The daily claims that Shater’s candidacy has “shocked” the Islamist parties, creating fear of splintering the Islamist vote and strengthening Egyptian liberals.

A-Sharq Al-Awsat turns these question marks into exclamation marks: “Egypt: dissatisfaction following Shater’s candidacy.”

“The earth moved under the feet of the Muslim Brotherhood following its announcement,” opens the daily in a dramatic tone. “The political scene responded with a storm, expressing its disappointment after the Brotherhood reneged on its past promise not to field a candidate.”

Egypt’s establishment daily Al-Ahram uses its own metaphor in describing the effect of Shater’s candidacy on the Egyptian political scene.

“The Muslim Brotherhood’s declaration… turned the waters of the political race into high waves of anger,” opens Al-Ahram.

“It seems that Shater’s bomb has exploded in the face of the Muslim Brotherhood,” writes the daily in news coverage which is anything but impartial. “There is near-consensus among civil and political powers that the Brotherhood exposed its true intentions to take control of all state institutions after realizing they can do so. It prefers its interests to those of the nation.”

According to Al-Ahram, the Muslim Brotherhood youth are adamantly opposed to Shater’s candidacy and warn against a “disaster” if his nomination goes forward.

Palestinian hunger striker opts for Gaza

Hana Shalabi, a Palestinian woman who launched a prolonged hunger strike to protest her administrative arrest by Israel, has decided to accept expulsion to Gaza in return for her release. The story is widely reported in Palestinian and Arab media.

“I ask that you respect my decision,” wrote Shalabi in a letter addressed to her family and the Palestinian people; a quote used as a headline in the Palestinian dailies Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam. The deportation to Gaza for three years ends Shalabi’s 44-day hunger strike, which mobilized world opinion in support of her plight. Al-Quds reports that Shalabi was welcomed in Gaza by members of her group Islamic Jihad, and was swiftly rushed to Shifa hospital for medical examinations.

“Deportation: another illegal practice,” claims the lead editorial in Al-Quds Monday. The daily argues that Shalabi’s administrative detention contravened international law, as does her deportation to Gaza.

“By doing so, Israel sends a clear message that it insists on not respecting international law, and especially the Geneva conventions,” writes Al-Quds.