Middle East Press welcomes Mubarak exit
Newspapers in Egypt and the rest of the Middle East have hailed President Hosni Mubarak's departure as the start of a new era, with some glimpsing a chance for Cairo to regain what many see as its rightful status as regional leader.
Commentators in Algeria and Yemen - the scene of pro-democracy protests on Saturday - and the rest of North Africa, which many fear could see similar upheavals in the future, are also delighted to see what many describe as "the fall of the Pharaoh''.
In Iran, papers note that Mubarak's departure came on the anniversary of the fall of Iran's long-time Shah and suggest that the events in both Egypt and Tunisia were inspired by Iran's own Islamic revolution in 1979.
EDITORIAL IN EGYPT'S AL-JUMHURIYAH
With its martyrs and strugglers, the 25 January revolution has opened a new page that challenged all obstacles to change. There is hope for a better tomorrow where the real face and leading role of Egypt will be restored.
HEADLINE IN ALGERIAN ARABIC-LANGUAGE AL-FADJR
Three weeks of anger end 30 years of his rule.
ALGERIAN ARABIC-LANGUAGE ECHOUROUK EL YOUMI
Proud Cairo humiliates the Pharaoh and topples him... Friday [was] the day Moses' pharaoh drowned and the last of the pharaohs fell.
HASNA YACOUB IN ALGERIAN FRENCH-LANGUAGE LA TRIBUNE
Yesterday Hosni Mubarak resigned, after 18 days of violent protests, 300 deaths and several hundred people injured. Mubarak went to great lengths to find an honourable way out, but the Egyptian people would have none of it. As if with one voice, millions chanted: "Mubarak out".
KAMEL AMARNI IN ALGERIAN FRENCH-LANGUAGE LE SOIR D'ALGERIE
Hosni Mubarak has thrown in the towel. Yesterday, he officially stepped down from his post as Egyptian president, on the 18th day of an unprecedented popular uprising in his country, and transferred power to the army.
SAID CHEKRI IN ALGERIAN FRENCH-LANGUAGE LIBERTE
Mubarak - who thought that he could count on Egypt's geo-strategic importance in order to hang on to power - ended up by letting go… Algerians are being called on to choose between freedom and security. Such a summons, which first Ben Ali and then Mubarak have already tried to impose, cannot take the place of a political plan.
MOROCCAN AKHBAR AL YAOUM
The End of a Pharaoh: The will of the revolution broke the stubbornness of the dictator.
TAOUFIK BOUACHRINE IN MOROCCAN AKHBAR AL YAOUM
Would it not have been more honourable and more respectful if Mubarak had left on the first day of the protests? Would it not have been better for him to have spared the lives of 300 martyrs? Would it not have been better for Mubarak to have been a former president rather than an ousted and humiliated president, looking for a haven to spend his last days away from the Nile?
HEADLINE IN TUNISIA'S ECHOUROUK
Finally the dream of the Arab people from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf has been achieved: they ousted him!
SULAYMAN AL-WARFALI IN LIBYAN AL-WATAN
Had President Mubarak adopted the brother leader's theory and applied direct democracy for the people through people's congresses this chaos would not have engulfed Egypt.
EDITORIAL IN SAUDI AL-WATAN
Sympathisers in the Muslim and Arab world are looking forward to Egypt entering a new era, when it resumes its role in the Arab and Islamic geo-political axis. There is no doubt that the youth who led the peaceful revolution with major understanding and awareness, will be committed to accomplish their mission in the same spirit.
EDITORIAL IN SYRIA'S TISHRIN
Finally, the Egyptian revolution has achieved its goal in making the regime and its symbols leave... The 18 days was like playing a game of cards before the regime yielded to the demands of the people who made history. The good thing is that that the people had the last word, and that the revolution reflects their sentiments, patriotism and sincerity... The historic moment has been achieved and the Arab masses are looking forward to a paradigm shift in Egypt. It is sincerely hoped that Egypt will return to stability.
ALI QASIM IN SYRIA'S AL-THAWRAH
The Egypt of today is not the same as the Egypt of yesterday. Today it has revealed its true face and regained its regional and Arab position. It has also opened the gates that have been closed for decades and announced its awakening. This is the way the Egyptian people expressed their will, and their will has been achieved through their struggle and steadfastness.
LEYLA HAMUD IN JORDAN'S AL-RA'Y
Oh, Egyptian people you have been blessed! The revolutionaries have been blessed. The mirage is still glimmering and will never vanish even if repressive regimes come one after another.
BASIM SAKJIHA IN JORDAN'S AL-DUSTUR
There is nothing more worthy at this moment than crying with joy. We thank God for the safety of our beloved Egypt. We thank God for the safety of Arabs as we will return to the global map with our legitimate leadership of Egypt... which we thought had been buried with time, but which has now come back to us in its best form.
RAFIQ KHURI IN LEBANON'S AL-ANWAR
The people of Egypt have emerged victorious, but this victory will not be complete without a transition into a civilian state through a democratic system.
AMIL KHURI IN LEBANON'S AL-NAHAR
It does not matter if weeks and months pass before we bite the honeycomb, wear the garment of freedom and lay the platform of the new regime. What is important is that there is no return for Mubarak and his likes. There is no return to worn-out regimes!
EDITORIAL IN QATAR'S AL-RAYAH
After 18 days of the revolution that had put Egypt in a desperate situation, the brilliant victory came when President Mubarak stepped down under the weight of the enormous public pressure. A new Egypt was born yesterday that crowned a long struggle against tyranny and corruption and which is now looking forward to democracy, reform and dignity.
AL-SADIQ AL-RUZAQI IN SUDAN'S AL-INTIBAHA
No power can stand in the face of the power of people. History will record a new form of fierce battles in the heart of the Arab and Islamic worlds that planned and remapped issues in the region in a totally different manner.
MAHJUB MUHAMMAD SALIH IN SUDAN'S AL-AYYAM
This is the beginning, and it will be a long journey whose results are not going to be achieved soon. It is a model to be followed by more than one country to confront a tyrant.
EDITOR IN CHIEF ABD-AL-BARI ATWAN IN PAN-ARAB AL-QUDS AL-ARABI
The fall of Mubarak and his regime is the end of an era, and the fall of the moderate axis, the Treaty of Camp David and all that was attached to it, which were humiliating Arabs and Muslims. This will be the end of the Israeli infiltration, which made the Arab rulers bow to Israeli officials, seek to have peace with them and give up what remained of Palestine to appease them.
HAZIM SAGHIYYAH IN PAN-ARAB AL-HAYAT
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak quit very late, and Umar Sulayman did not give firm assurances to the people in the squares and in other public areas. With this, apart from totalitarianism and corruption, the Egyptian regime had unveiled stubbornness and huge short-sightedness.
TARIQ AL-HAMID IN SAUDI-OWNED PAN-ARAB AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT
Thank God for Egypt's safety. The Nile is running once again in the nerves of Egyptians and Arabs. Egypt is surprised by its position, and the way the entire world perceives it. All the Arabs expressed their fear about Egypt in their own way, and all expressed their love in their own way too. However, they called for security and peace in Egypt.
EDITORIAL IN IRAN'S JOMHURI-YE ESLAMI
Thirty two years ago, on 11 February 1979 when the Islamic Revolution achieved victory in Iran, America and Israel were the two countries that worried most. Now after the Egyptian people's revolution, the Zionists are scared once again. Mubarak's collapse is the beginning of a huge anti-American and anti-Israeli wave in the Middle East and North Africa. Iran also should have an important role in this process.
KARIM EFTEKHARI IN IRAN'S HEMAYAT
The current revolution in Egypt and Mubarak's downfall, the Egyptian people's happiness and their slogans - are all a copy of Iran's Islamic Revolution. Liberal democracy was a bad omen for the world and by looking at the developments in France, Britain and Greece we can see that it does not have any place even there. Today, Islam is the best ideology for leading the world. Today, the collapse of a powerful empire in Egypt - and not Iran - is the main concern for the US.
MEHDI MOHAMMADI IN IRAN'S KEYHAN
The political geography of the Middle East will change quickly as the Egyptian revolution infects other autocracies in the region. Israel is also reaching the end of the story. Iran, as the only source of inspiration for anti-US movements in the region, will control the heart of the revolutions. Sidelining the US is the most important geopolitical effect we can expect to see.
MOHAMMAD SA'ID AHADIAN IN IRAN'S KHORASAN
This delightful end is the beginning of a new start for the Egyptian people's movement to achieve complete freedom from dependence and regaining their national and Islamic identity. However, will this people's movement be able to stick to the route to freedom, which will be full of twists and turns?
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