To many engagers the problem is mainly one of communication. If only everyone could just sit around a table and talk, things would work out. You can almost hear Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal gasping at the naiveté of such sweeping positivism, as he prepares to score points off his solemn American visitor.

Michael Young, in Jimmy Carter: a fool on a fool's errand published by the Daily Star of Lebanon

Clearly, Jimmy Carter is unable to apprehend that Khaled Meshaal staged a coup on a democratic regime that came to power through elections – and before that had led a more dangerous 'ideological' coup in which the movement had declared its rejection of the Oslo Accords – all of which means a return to square one in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Khaled Meshaal's real problem lies in the fact that he aspires more towards a truce with Israel than he does towards the vision of a Palestinian state. Moreover, he does not strive to put an end to the crisis endured by the people of Gaza inasmuch as he attempts to exert pressure on Egypt with the intention of serving goals that are far removed from the Palestinian cause.

Mr. Khaled Meshaal leads a safe life in Damascus and is more preoccupied with preserving Hamas's alliance with Iran and Syria than with unifying the Palestinian ranks. His position is the same as that of the rest of the Hamas leadership, which has disappeared fearing that Israel will target it, leaving the residents of Gaza to confront the Israeli aggression. Where is Ismail Haniyeh today?

Tariq Alhomayed, The Controversy Surrounding Carter and Meshaal's Meeting in Al-Sharq Al-Awsat 16/04/2008 By