The world was deeply affected by the human disaster in Haiti. The Saudi daily Al-Watan wrote that the Haiti earthquake could be one of the world's worst disasters and its impact could exceed that of the tsunami. The newspaper's editorial said the quake did not have the least effect on the Arab world and that some Arab citizens had never even heard of Haiti. Thus they have no cause to sympathise with it. Nevertheless, Haiti and any other country, developed or developing, that has suffered from a natural disaster is an indication that no matter how developed the world is, it is still weak in the face of the power of nature. Thus human beings should ask themselves about the significance of their lives: in spite of their long experience with peace, the voices calling for war, hatred and division are on the rise. "The Haiti earthquake taught the whole world a lesson, that modern-day man should care for his brother, abandon violence, extremism, and root peace and respect for others. These values should not be tactical or political but sublime, jumping over borders and differences and united on one thing: humanity," concluded the edit. The choice of Mohamed Badei, the eighth leader of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB), was an issue of interest in a few Arab newspapers. Abdel-Rahman Al-Rashed ascribed that interest to the fact that the MB is still the most effective opposition group in the Arab region especially in Egypt and Jordan. However, the writer noted that the group tends to choose weak leaders, may be because they think that this is in the interest of the group. But Al-Rashed differed with that way of thinking because a popular and strong leader guarantees popular support for the group. However, he added, the group chose another weak leader who does not have any experience in politics. Unlike what happens in all political parties, all the members of the Muslim Brotherhood are scientists or high-calibre professionals that have no experience in politics. "Thus, the Muslim Brotherhood is the most efficient group from a scientific point of view but the least efficient from a political point of view," Al-Rashed wrote in the London-based political daily Asharq Al-Awsat. In other words, he added, it is a non- political group that cannot grow or compete on a political level. Mohamed Salah wrote that some commentators believe the Brotherhood followed the route drawn up by its founder and first leader Hassan El-Banna who established it in 1928, and that the characteristics and personality of the leader does not have the least impact on the performance of the group. But other commentators believe that the history, principles and personality of the leader could have a positive or negative impact on the group: they could either provide it with a political presence and spare it confrontation with the authority or drive it into confrontation with the authority and internal division. Although there are reservations even from within the group on the way the top leaders including Badei were selected, Salah ruled out that he would be a shadow leader. The history of the new leader and his influence inside the group for half a century confirms that Badei is not a mere substitute for his predecessor, Mahdi Akef. Badei is a conservative leader who has priorities in restructuring the hierarchy of the group. Nevertheless, he will not withdraw the group from political participation or from taking part in student, syndicate and parliamentary elections. His conservative personality will have a positive impact on the group which would focus in the coming months on improving its image after all the criticism waged against it from the authorities as well as from leaders inside the group. Furthermore, "Badei will have to prove that he is not Akef's shadow or that of other leaders. The Muslim Brotherhood cannot live in the shadows anymore," Salah wrote in the London-based independent political daily Al-Hayat. Palestinian reconciliation is still a popular demand among writers. Tawfiq Al-Madeni wrote that Hamas's seizure of Gaza created a new reality on the ground: two Palestinian authorities, one in Gaza and the other in the West Bank. And the Palestinian division took the Palestinian issue into a dark tunnel. Al-Madeni added in the United Arab Emirates daily Al-Bayan that the Palestinian parties, especially Hamas, should realise that unity and working on building a unified national strategy is the way towards resolving the problem. Hamas has always been a symbol of resistance. Thus, its experience in power during the last few years proved its failure to represent both the authority and resistance. At present it is facing difficulties on four fronts: its alliance with Iran which is currently facing problems on the internal level and in its relations with the Arab states; the failure of its negotiations with Israel regarding the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit; its refusal to sign the Egyptian document for Palestinian reconciliation; and the Arab states responsible for the Palestinian file no longer press for reconciliation as a condition to restart negotiations with Israel. They believe that the Palestinian Authority is the sole representative of the Palestinians in those talks. Hamas also faces major challenges in Gaza, including unemployment and poverty, a decline in its popularity as a resistance movement and its failure to properly rule Gaza or manage the lives of some 1.4 million Palestinians living in the Strip. Jawad Al-Bashiti wrote on the present plight of the Palestinians, saying that in the past, Palestinian factions argued over which option to take: resolving the Palestinian issue via negotiations or armed resistance. Now that they do not have the power to negotiate or resist the enemy, they have two other options -- either not to negotiate and abandon resistance or not to fight and abandon negotiations. "Palestinian authorities confirmed they will not go to the negotiating table before certain conditions are met. Meanwhile, they will not accept armed resistance. Hamas in Gaza has affirmed it will not give up on a truce but would not accept negotiations. Palestinians are in the worst state ever, the state of no negotiations and no resistance," Al-Bashiti wrote in the independent Jordanian daily Al-Arab Al-Yom.
