Jordanian newspapers Sunday said the surprise announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak that he will resign shows that Israel is not mature enough for peace.
Newspapers in Amman gave front-page coverage to Barak's bombshell dropped Saturday, with Al Dustour daily showing a cartoon of a Palestinian throwing a rock at Barak with a sling-shot and shoving him off his prime ministerial seat.
"The Intifada forced General Barak out," said Al Dustour in a red-banner headline, referring to the 10-week-old Palestinian uprising against Israel that has claimed more than 300 lives, most of them Arabs.
"Once again Israel showed that it is not mature enough to achieve a comprehensive and just peace in the region," Al Dustour said in an editorial.
"Barak's 'surprise' resignation announcement has revealed Israel's real intentions, shrouded in slogans issued by Barak here and there in which he pretended he was concerned with peace while his army fired all sort of bullets and missiles at the Palestinian people," Al Dustour said.
The newspaper's political analyst warned that Barak's resignation meant for the Palestinians "the pursuit of violence, aggression and blockades" as it hurls Israel into an era of political uncertainty.
Al Rai and Al Arab Al Yawm dailies agreed that Barak failed to carry through his job under the pressure of the Intifada and expect the crisis facing the region to continue unabated and even escalate.
"In 60 days Barak will address voters to ask for their support. (During that time) he could coordinate with right-wing parties to chose the military confrontation, even war," Al Arab Al Yawm said in an editorial.
"We don't rule out an alliance between Labor (Barak's party) and the (opposition) Likud to form a unity government to confront the Arab position against Israel," the newspaper said.
Al Arab Al Yawm appealed for immediate international protection for the Palestinian people against any further Israeli maneuvering – AMMAN (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
