Ariel Sharon's appointment

Only days before the Thursday Washington top-level talks, Palestinians and all Arabs were shocked over the appointment of Israeli Infrastructure Minister Ariel Sharon as foreign minister in (Benjamin) Netanyahu's Likud government.

The Palestinians and Arabs still have bitter memories about the anti-Palestinian massacres of Sabra and Chatilla in Lebanon, led by then-defense minister Sharon. Hopefully, the man won't receive notoriety for massacring peace in Washington. His reputation as a "super hawk" is enough to give credit to the air of pessimism shrouding his appointment to the post.

-- The Egyptian Gazette, Cairo