L’Orient Le Jour, Lebanon
Sarkozy condamne l’offensive israélienne, mais aussi la “lourde responsabilité” du Hamas
In an interview with Lebanon’s L’Orient Le Jour made ahead of his diplomatic marathon, French President Nicolas Sarkozy condemns Israel’s offensive in Gaza, saying it "makes the conveying of relief to the population more difficult.” He also says that Hamas “bears a heavy responsibility” for the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip because it fired rockets into Israel.

Le Figaro, France
Médiation européenne pour un cessez-le-feu à Gaza
Nicolas Sarkozy s’engage sur une voie étroite
The French paper Le Figaro headlines more broadly on European efforts to mediate. In one article it says that the road is not so much long as narrow for the French president. The paper says he will back an Egyptian four-point proposal calling for an immediate ceasefire, a return to the truce, the opening of crossings into Gaza, and an international mechanism to apply a new accord.

Libération, France
La difficile voie diplomatique
Another French paper Libération echoes the difficulties of the diplomatic path. Its analysis is pessimistic but it believes the French president has a few cards on his side, for example his close ties with the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The two leaders co-preside the Union for the Mediterranean. And President Sarkozy has also been building ties with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since a visit to Damascus last spring. The article says a key Hamas hardliner is based in Damascus and the Syrian President – Paris hopes – could play a role as an intermediary.

La Libre Belgique, Belgium
La diplomatie renvoyée au moyen terme

The Belgian paper La Libre Belgique looks at the range of diplomatic missions underway. Russia, Turkey, Qatar and the EU have also launched efforts. The paper argues that Nicolas Sarkozy is likely to be more effective than the EU troika mission of Czech, French and Swedish foreign ministers. It says no Israeli government has been sensitive to EU diplomacy and that’s not going to change now, especially with Israeli electoral politics being a key factor.  

Jerusalem Post
Diplomacy expected to buy a ‘few more days’ in Gaza

The Jerusalem Post quotes Israeli diplomats as saying the Israeli army has “a few more days” to carry on with its Gaza offensive before international diplomatic pressure comes to bear. There will be a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday. The article says that Israel’s first message to visiting delegations is that they want a mechanism to ensure Hamas will not re-arm.

Analysis: Diplomatic 'minuet' is a dangerous game
The National in the United Arab Emirates has a front page analysis stating that “while diplomats fiddle, Gaza burns”. The headline reads: “diplomatic 'minuet' is a dangerous game”. The suggestion is that “foot-dragging is intentional” with Washington and other capitals keen to see Israel weaken Hamas and improve the chances of a stable agreement once the fighting subsides. The article warns that “the refusal to reel Israel in may have unforeseen consequences”.

Gulf News, United Arab Emirates
A cartoon on the opinion page of another UAE paper - The Gulf News - depicts the diplomacy as rubbish. It’s in a bin outside a door leading to Gaza in flames. The message again being that Gaza is burning. The cartoon shows scraps of paper with the words “we deplore” and “we condemn” overflowing from the bin. 

The New Zealand Herald
For Obama, it’s still the economy, stupid
And many papers report on President-elect Obama’s low profile during this Gaza crisis. His silence, they say, is in stark contrast to his efforts to address the global economic downturn. The New Zealand Herald headlines: “For the Obama it’s still the economy, stupid”. The paper says that Barack Obama will not take a direct stance on the Middle East till taking office on the 20th of January.