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The Saudi-owned daily wondered whether the party, known as AKP, would show reason in administering the country and avoid the wrath of the secular military institution. If the Islamist party exploits its victory to impose change to dominate the country, the military would intervene, "making the Justice Party similar to most other Islamist parties that reached power," it remarked. The paper, distributed in many Arab capitals, expected that if this Turkish group insisted that "Islam is the solution," the experience of Hamas in the Palestinian territories might be repeated. But if the AKP worked for the prosperity of the people and their country's interests, respecting the constitution and the "rules of the game," this would usher in a new phase for Islamist parties and democracy in general, it said. Turkey's AKP, it added, stands before challenges and a crucial moment in the history of Islamist parties. "So, will the party exercise political reason and show that Islamist parties are capable of political work, administering the state away from slogans? Or will it consolidate the image of the Islamist parties that they are not mature?" it asked.
Jordan's al-Rai described Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP as a "secular Islamist" group that is not atheist just because it's secular. The party, it argued, believes Turkey must be part of Europe and the Western alliance. "Its Islamism doesn't mean its hostility towards everything; it deals with the world based on Turkey's interests," the mass-circulation daily said in an opinion piece. The paper, partially owned by the government, noted that Arab Islamist parties have not launched political dialogue with the AKP to study its "unique experience and the Islamic renaissance movement." This group, it stressed, is different, where its voice is not loud as Iran's, not bloody as Pakistan and Afghanistan, nor does it deal with al-Qaida, saying it is an independent group. The paper urged Arab Islamist parties to learn from Turkey's Justice Party and to emulate its objectives and plans, without having to seek support from Iran.
The United Arab Emirates' al-Khaleej welcomed the Turkish legislative elections, saying they were truly democratic despite the disputes and differences between the Islamist and secular parties and their relationship with the military institution. The pro-government daily said in its editorial the victory of the AKP constitutes a renewed popular authorization for Erdogan's party to continue with his internal and foreign policies. It argued that Erdogan's promise, after victory, for reform, respecting the others' views, opening a new page with everyone else and not to challenge the secular trend was "responsible and should be taken as a model." It argued that Turkey has provided lessons in democracy and urged the Arab world, which it said is consumed by internal and external crises, to start cleaning house and exercise proper political action. The Arabs should use their capabilities to "distinguish between friend and foe in order to rise again, just as other nations -- which don't possess what the Arabs have in terms of strength and resources -- are rising," it said.
Lebanon's al-Shark warned against what it said was a U.S.-Israeli escalation in rhetoric that might be an introduction to military action. The daily, which describes itself as independent but with pro-government trends, referred to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's call for forming an alliance of "moderates" in the region to confront the "Syrian-Iranian alliance" and to Olmert's description of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's meeting with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as an "axis of evil." The paper said, "We don't understand who exactly are the moderate forces in the region according to the Israeli prime minister. But we believe he means to indicate there are Arabs who are ready to align themselves with Israel, which is blatantly untrue, considering the Arabs want a just solution to the Palestinian cause." It blasted Israel for trying to persuade international public opinion that it is a tiny, weak state surrounded by extremist forces with huge military capabilities, which it said has proven to be unfounded. The paper's commentary said that Washington has also been using the same terminology as Israel's when talking about a Syrian-Iranian-Hezbollah alliance and their missile force that threatens Israel. If there were a real Israeli and U.S. desire for achieving peace, it said, there would be no need to divide the region into extremists and moderates, it said. "If Olmert really wanted to fight extremism, he would have quickly supported the Arab peace initiative and agreed to return to the negotiating table for an honorable solution to the Palestinian issue," it said.
Syria's official Tishreen said the Israeli military escalation against the Palestinians is not strange, even if it comes amid what is supposed to be peace efforts led by the Quartet's envoy, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Israel, it maintained, has a long history of "terrorism" and disrespect for international and humanitarian laws, "thanks to the United States since its adoption of this entity." The state-run daily added in its editorial that after all Israel does, "we are still expected to believe there are political moves by the Quartet, led by Blair, who is the closest ally to President (George W.) Bush in all the problems of the region" caused by the Bush administration. It complained the Quartet (United States, Russia, European Union and United Nations) is behaving as if Olmert is ready for a peace process. It said Blair is clearly promoting only the U.S. "anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab vision, and his mission is bound to fail in advance because it only carries the vague intentions and promises made by Bush six years ago for two states."
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