‘Salman’s visit reflects depth of relations’

Democracy has descended on Fatah as its members gather for the first time since 2009, said Lebanon’s Daily Star.

“Observers have been eager to see how the venerable Palestinian party has changed with the times. Not much, it seems, as the only surprise Fatah offered us was that its top brass, made up of a clutch of geriatrics, were all still alive. The Fatah congress has come at an extremely critical juncture for the Palestinian cause, with new Israeli laws are due to allow the construction of thousands of new colonies; and [United States President-elect] Donald Trump has taken the White House. This congress should have been aimed bridging the chasms found between factions of Fatah. Instead, it has made them more pronounced. The word ‘Fatah’ may mean victory, but only Israel’s right-wing Likud Party stands victorious here, in its quest to appropriate land and see the Palestinians divided.”

The final communique of the Fatah Party conference was comprehensive, covering every single domestic, Arab and international issue, said Palestine’s Al Quds. “Internally, the communique stressed the importance of ending the divide that harms the Palestinian cause and Palestinians, reaffirming that national unity is the only way to face challenges and conspiracies that target the Palestinian cause. Fatah also elected its leadership for the next term and it is our sincere hope that this leadership begins the practical implementation of everything that was mentioned in the final communique. The new leadership’s success depends solely on whether it achieves its mission or not, particularly in light of the many threats currently facing the Palestinian issue. These difficult circumstances necessitate the need for action and new achievements, and that will be the criteria for gauging whether the leadership will be deemed successful or not.”

Salman’s UAE visit

Meanwhile, Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz’s visit to the UAE reflects the depth of relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, said UAE’s Al Bayan. “The bond between the two countries is that of brothers and common fate and these two nations have joined hands to combat the forces of evil, strife and terrorism that are wreaking havoc and destruction on the region. These forces disrupt security and stability in order to carry out the agenda of regional powers that strive to exert their influence in the area. King Salman’s visit reflects the strength and depth of these relations, a fact reaffirmed by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, when he received the Saudi King.”

King Salman’s visit to Doha is an important one regarding the strategic relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, said Qatar’s Al Raya. “The official and popular Qatari response for King Salman’s visit reflects the cohesiveness, depth and strength of bilateral relations. It is the inauguration of a new phase in Qatari-Saudi relations that highlights the firm desire, on both the official and public level, to further bolster integration in all areas. The visit reaffirms the high levels of coordination and growth that these relations have achieved ...”