Many newspapers in the Middle East have expressed their disapproval of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plans to evacuate Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli press was sceptical about the proposals although one paper conceded that the prime minister was doing what he had said he would.
Many Arab papers criticised the move saying it was a political manoeuvre timed to coincide with Mr Sharon's forthcoming visit to Washington and one which would ultimately be harmful to the Middle East peace process.
It's enough to glance at the 'Gaza evacuation package' that Sharon has thrown our way to suspect that, like all its predecessors, it merely contains animal fodder.
Doron Rosenblum in Israel's Ha'aretz
To achieve stability, it would be necessary to allow many Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip to cross into Israel and to try to ensure that Palestinian rule there is in the hands of pragmatists. Otherwise, Sharon's evacuation plan will increase the possibility of an international force in the Gaza Strip.
Ze'ev Schiff in Israel's Ha'aretz
The unilateral plan Minister Ehud Olmert is about to present today in Washington does not represent the position of the State of Israel. It is therefore important to make this clear so that in the White House and the State Department they know this in advance.
Those who heard Sharon understood: the father of settlements in the territories has crossed the point of no return... Sharon indeed means what he said ambiguously last year.
Israel's Yedi'ot Aharonot
Sharon is wagering that he can neutralise the Israeli left through his disengagement plan... He is also duped into thinking that he is invigorating Bush whose popularity has been deteriorating. He thinks that a pullout from Gaza would give credibility to the US-Israeli project.
Adli Sadiq in Palestinian Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah
The Israelis are now facing their decisive hour more than at any time in the past. They will decide to either walk down the road of peace... or go down the road of fighting and bloody conflict that never led and will never lead to anything but endless disasters, destruction and killing.
Just before his visit to Washington, Sharon is trying to give the impression of being the one eager for peace in the region and the one willing to grant concessions to the Palestinians.
Sharon's plan to evacuate settlers from the Gaza Strip has blessings from outside but is a complete hell domestically... The solution is a basic commitment to the implementation of agreements and plans agreed upon in sincerity and honesty.
If Sharon is sincere in his intention to dismantle most of the Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip, the idea deserves more than a moment's thought... However, most of his decisions represent Sharon's attempts to divert attention away from problems currently facing his government over corruption and a bribery scandal.
Saudi Arabia's Al-Watan
Sharon's evil schemes will be more dangerous for the Palestinians' future. With this plan Sharon has given the coup de grace to the international peace plan, the so-called road map. What he needs now is to issue a death certificate for the road map!
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