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The World from Berlin

Scant Hope for Peace in Middle East

Sunni terrorism in Lebanon, civil war in Gaza, governments and ceasefire agreements in shambles -- the Middle East has plunged deeper into chaos in recent days. German papers see little hope for peace.

The Middle East lurched into fresh violence over the weekend, as the specter of civil war loomed over Lebanon as well as the Gaza Strip. In Gaza, militants loyal to the Palestinians' two ruling parties, Hamas and Fatah, fought turf wars that threatened to bring down the whole peace process with Israel -- not least because Hamas has been using its chance in the chaos to lob Kassam rockets into Israel. Israeli helicopters responded with airstrikes.

In Lebanon, things were even stranger: Since Sunday the Lebanese army has bombarded the headquarters of a little-known Sunni group called Fatah al-Islam, which may have links to Syria or al-Qaida. Lebanese tanks have been pounding the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr el-Bared, near the Lebanese town of Tripoli, which Fatah al-Islam had taken over in late 2006. Leaflets from the group announced solidarity with radical Palestinians. Its goals, read the pamphlets, were "liberating Palestine and killing the enemies -- the Jews and the Zionized Crusader West."

The group appeared to fight back from the camp -- or had sympathizers who could retaliate -- with suicide bombings in Beirut and other parts of Tripoli. Fatah al-Islam spokesman Abu Salim told the Associated Press on Tuesday that if the army wouldn't quit its siege of Nahr el-Bared, the group "would take the battle outside Tripoli."

The emergence of Qaida-style Sunni terrorism in the faltering Shiite state of Lebanon has alarmed observers all over the world, and German papers on Wednesday are trying to make sense of the Middle East's latest surge in violence.

The left-wing daily Die Tageszeitung writes:

"The media have been reflexively reporting about a return of the specter of civil war (in Lebanon). But they've overlooked the new political situation: This is the first time that the nation's two political wings -- which have paralyzed Lebanon until recently -- appear unified. Not only the western-supported government of Fuad Siniora, but also the Hizbollah-led opposition support the Lebanese army. They're also in agreement with the other Palestinian factions in Lebanon, which have condemned the splinter group Fatah al-Islam and even promised to fight it alongside the army. The newest conflict offers not just danger...but also -- paradoxically -- hope."

The Financial Times Deutschland writes:

"The American reporter Seymour Hersh recently reported in The New Yorker that the Lebanese government itself had supported Sunni extremist groups (like Fatah al-Islam). They were not only allowed to stay in the country, but even (according to Hersh ) provided with weapons. Saudi Arabia has also reportedly supported such groups with the blessing of the United States in order to provide a balance against Hezbollah militants and other Shiites loyal to Iran."

"It's not a bad sign that the army is now trying to establish its monopoly on firepower in Lebanon. So far it's been too weak. In spite of a number of UN resolutions, militants in Lebanon have never been disarmed. But even after the current crisis one thing may not change. No one in Lebanon will dare to disarm Hezbollah -- not even international peacekeeping troops."

The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes:

"To secure his political future, or at least to delay a damning report on (last summer's) war with Lebanon, (Israeli Prime Minister) Olmert will have to invade Gaza this summer. The Israeli people demand a hard line against Palestinian terrorism. They feel threatened. A strong leader might point out the fact that a hard line against terrorism has never helped; but Olmert can't. He's a prime minister on the verge of recall."

The left-leaning Berliner Zeitung writes:

"It was right for Europe to reconsider (European Union support for the Palestinians) after the radical party Hamas won control of their parliament in early 2006. It's also right to demand more peace gestures from Hamas, as well as recognition of Israel. But the EU's stubborn insistence on formal conditions for more cooperation with the Gaza government ignores reality. Power structures in the Middle East are swiftly eroding. Civil war between Palestinians, quasi-anarchy in Lebanon and political chaos in Israel are all signs of a destabilization that sooner or later might involve Europe."

- Michael Scott Moore, 3:30pm CET