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SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: SINO-US RELATIONS 
 
TOPIC: Sino-US Relations 
 
Israel and Palestine 
 
HEADLINES AND EXCERPTS: 
 
"The Middle East will not be stable even if the Israeli military 
wins the fighting" 
 
The center-left Chinese-language Sing Tao Daily News said in an 
editorial (1/5):  "...Judging from the preliminary reaction of the 
Arab world, including the public in the Gaza Strip, Israel has not 
succeeded in making people cast aside Hamas.  On the contrary, the 
ground assaults have further intensified Arab hatred toward Israel. 
Twenty years ago, Israel routed Arafat's Palestine Liberation 
Organization armed forces, which were entrenched on the border of 
Lebanon, giving rise to the extremist group Hezbollah as a result. 
Thus, even if Israel succeeds in routing Hamas, no one can get rid 
of the possibility that Hamas may be replaced by another new radical 
armed force.  Triggering hatred among the Arab public will also 
increase the difficulties of governance in some moderate Arabic 
countries.  It will only make the situation in Arab countries more 
unstable." 
 
"How will the fighting in Gaza end?" 
 
The pro-PRC Chinese-language Wen Wei Po had this editorial (1/5): 
"...Israel has long premeditated the fighting in Gaza.  The 
six-month ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas ended on 
December 19, 2008.  Hamas refused to continue the ceasefire 
agreement.  It launched rocket attacks hoping to force Israel to 
give up economic sanctions on Gaza and preconditions for the 
ceasefire agreement.  But this move is just what Israel hoped for. 
Israel's attacks have been carefully planned.  It has spent half a 
year to get ready and wait for Hamas to launched attacks first. 
Then it can strike back as a retaliatory move....  The situation in 
the Middle East is turbulent.  U.S. President-elect Obama will have 
to face a grim new test.  The U.S. has always been partial to 
Israel's military actions.  It even vetoed the ceasefire resolution 
of the UN Security Council.  Since Israel launched air strikes 
against Gaza and started its ground offensive, Obama has kept 
silent.  How will the fighting in Gaza end, and what impacts will 
the fighting have on the situation in the Middle East?  It becomes 
more bewildering." 
 
"Lasting Middle East peace" 
 
The independent English-language South China Morning Post said in an 
editorial (1/4):  "With the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even 
establishing basic facts can be contentious.  Everyone wants a 
durable peace agreement between the sworn enemies.  But internal 
political dynamics, ever fluid and little understood by outsiders, 
often make war and conflict the strategy of choice for combatants on 
both sides.  After a week of merciless bombing of Hamas targets in 
the Gaza Strip, Israel looks ready for a ground assault.  The 
administration of U.S. President George W. Bush has reportedly given 
Israel free rein to send in ground troops.  It may be tempting to 
see the Israelis as exploiting a gap in American politics before the 
inauguration of Barack Obama as the new president.  However, Mr. 
Obama has repeatedly voiced support for Israel as a cornerstone of 
U.S. policy in the Middle East and secretary of state-designate 
Hillary Rodham Clinton has a long history of friendliness towards 
the country.  It's highly unlikely the two will confront Israel, at 
least at the start of the new administration....  At the moment, the 
best that can be hoped for in the current phase of the conflict - 
when the dust has settled and enough blood has been shed - is that 
Israel will ease or end the Gaza blockade and that an exhausted 
Hamas will give up its missile harassment.  Meanwhile, a lasting 
peace in this tragic land is as remote as ever." 
 
"U.S. and Iran guide the situation in the Middle East; Obama's 
silence has aroused suspicion" 
 
The independent Chinese-language Ming Pao Daily News had an 
editorial (1/4):  "...U.S.' Middle East policy under the Obama 
administration is one of the determining factors to decide if Israel 
will continue to bomb Palestine.  During the presidential election 
campaign last year, Obama suggested using dialogue and adopting a 
conciliatory attitude to resolve international disputes.  He also 
said that he would start diplomatic mediations with the Iranian 
leadership if necessary.  Some U.S. foreign affairs experts believe 
that Obama will adjust Bush's Middle East policy after taking 
office.  Obama will adopt a more moderate approach than that of the 
later period of the Bush era.  Some people even anticipate 
reconciliation between the U.S. and Iran.  However, it is hard to 
understand why Obama has not yet made any public comment since 
Israel launched the air strikes.  One of the explanations is that 
Obama is still the President-elect, he should not make any comments 
on the Middle East issue.  However, Obama has nominated Rahm 
Emanuel, a Jewish American, as the White House Chief of Staff. 
Emanuel was a civilian volunteer in Israel during the 1991 Gulf War. 
Thus, Obama's silence has aroused people's suspicions." 
 
 
DONOVAN