Middle Eastern Press on bin Laden's Death

Courtesy of BBC News online, here are some of the reactions to the death of Bin Laden that appeared in various Middle Eastern newspapers.

Note the comparison one makes between Osama and Che, and various assessments of the cause of bin Laden's influence, that echo my yesterday's blog: Osama and Che.

I have not yet added Al Jazeera to my bookmarks, but the BBC is my internet home page.

Nasuh al-Majali in Jordan's Al-Ra'y

The killing of Bin Laden by his enemies will definitely deal a fierce moral blow to the al-Qaeda movement, whose symbol he was, but it will also give al-Qaeda an excuse for more violence and for proving its presence… The thing that feeds this organization and provides it with supporters and followers in the Islamic world are the imperialistic policies, invasion and occupation campaigns by the West and Israel against Arab peoples.

Mashari al-Dhayidi in pan-Arab Al-Sharq al-Awsat

Osama has evolved since 11 September 2011 into the icon of Islamic anger in the same way as the Argentinean communist Che Guevara became the icon for leftist Latin anger against the West.

Editorial in Egyptian Al-Jumhuriyah

Following Bin Laden's crimes, the US manufactured an excuse to wage an unholy war on Muslim countries… Now, after US President Barack Obama's announcement of Osama Bin Laden's killing, will the end of the war against terror be declared or does the US still have outstanding goals?

Hasan Khadr in Palestinian Al-Ayyam

It was a paradox that Bin Laden died at a time when millions of Arabs are taking to the streets to ask for freedoms that have no place in his personal lexicon or religious ideology... His death ended a very dark decade.

Editorial in Saudi Arabian Al-Watan

Osama Bin Laden's killing in this way could have had a negative effect, had it taken place at the end of last year. But, today it will pass just like that, and if it has an effect, it will be very limited because the Middle East of 2011 is not like before. The Middle East today has a new vision… that is far away from the influence of al-Qaeda or any other jihadist organisation.