The German press comments on the Middle Eastern situation in the light of the strategy of the USA. On the Israeli-Palestinian question, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (16/11) observes: “ Today it’s apparent that Washington’s previous policy towards Israel has served neither American interests, nor those of the Israelis.. The USA must be interested in once again becoming a ‘credible mediator’. This is the role that Europe is trying to play at the present time. The European states are active with customs and excise officers and troops but are weak and cannot counter-balance the unbalanced policy of America. On the other hand, Europe and America cannot be divided. However paradoxical it may seem, however much she may benefit today from the American position, Israel must be interested in a better-balanced Middle Eastern policy of Washington“. On a possible rapprochement of the USA and Great Britain with Syria and Iran to help solve the crisis in Iraq, an editorial in Die Welt (15/11) comments: “ Any rapprochement with the two governments of Damascus and Teheran is full of risks. The greatest risk is that such a policy would seem an acquiescence, an appeasement, a desperate last minute act: in short, a sign of weakness“. A comment in the Frankfurter Rundschau (16/11) suggests: “ It may really be doubted whether it is useful publicly to attribute to Teheran and Damascus an even stronger position than that they already possess due to the American failure in Iraq. There are also real risks, especially if the ambitious regional power Iran should be invited not only to assume responsibility but also to openly declare her own interest in Iraq . […] Iraq’s neighbouring countries have long been operating in secret. And the Iraqi conflict cannot be divorced from the other problems of the area”. The French Catholic daily LA CROIX ( 14/11) also intervenes on the question. “One of the avenues being studied consists of seeking the support of Iran and Syria, countries that are able to exert their influence, respectively, on the Shiites and Sunnis of Iraq” comments Jean-Cristophe Ploquin . But only a few days ago, points out Ploquin, “ Condoleezza Rice had called Syria a dangerous country“, and in the meantime “ Damascus is profiting from the situation to revive its claims to regain possession of the Golan“ . “ Paradoxically this objective conceals another: that of blocking the Syrian pullout from Lebanon, begun last year under international pressure”. “As for Israel, she ought to continue to enjoy the almost unconditional backing of Washington”. “The Democrats – concludes Ploquin – just like the Republics, do not consider the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a central question”. “ One Polish daily gave the title ‘John Paul II: idol of the Italians’ to a report on the survey conducted for Italian public television. But, to tell the truth, Catholics ought to feel offended by this title… No, John Paul II is not an idol. He isn’t an idol because he never wanted to be one. He sought neither personal popularity nor notoriety. He used the means of communication only to spread the Good News” , says the Catholic portal www.wiara.pl commenting in recent days on the RAI survey according to which John Paul II is the best known personality of the century. “Young rebels in schools are the effect of the sick ideologies of the generation of Sixty Eight” , says the Polish Catholic weekly GOSC NIEDZIELNY (12/11) attacking those who are “ trying to convince teenagers that their opinion is as important as that of grown ups”. According to the same magazine (19/11), “ the number of young practising Catholics is declining in Poland. In 1988, almost 50% of Polish youth regularly attended religious services. In 2005 this figure had dropped to 36%. In the same period the number of non-practising youth grew from 4% to 10%”. The same survey finds that the moral authority of the Catholic Church “ is recognized by approximately 30% of youth”. “We are sowing fear and doubt in our classrooms, bequeathing the creation of otherness to our children. Day by day we are moving towards a society of fear and suspicion”, comments Soumaya Ghannoushi in the British daily THE GUARDIAN (13/11) on the “demonization of Islam” , and the blanket suspicion being cast on all Muslim children, following the revelations made in recent days by Eliza Manningham-Buller, head of the counter-espionage agency MI5, according to whom there are some 200 organizations linked to Al-Qaida in Great Britain, and a total of 1,600 of their members have been placed under surveillance. “ Instead of the confidentiality we have been used to from the secret services – observes the director of research at IslamExpo – the head of MI5 ” in her speech on the terrorist threat “ slid further towards the explicit and direct association of Islam and Muslims with all that is wicked… We cannot underestimate the seriousness of the threat”, but “ these statements” lead to a “demonization of all Muslims”. “ Al-Qaida certainly bears a large part of the responsibility – concludes the Islamic exponent – but the reckless games of politicians, media pundits and religio-racists are no less responsible. We, the majority and minority, are caught in between”.
