Regional Voices: Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iran, Israel and Palestine

“The Lebanese are asking this government to unmask its true face and say to the Arabs and the world that it is the government of Bashar Assad and Hezbollah…in Lebanon.” –Former Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri

“It is a bad decision for the president and bolsters the feeling that his decisions are never thought out and that his advisers are not competent.” –Mustafa Kamel al-Sayyed, a Cairo University professor on the Egyptian courts’ decision to delay parliamentary elections

“It is a matter of surprise that some Western and regional countries as well as their media outlets are trying to cast a negative image on the talks, which had positive conclusions.” –Iranian spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast

“Any intervention will not make things better…Europe and the United States and others are going to pay the price sooner or later with the instability in this region.” –Syrian president Bashar al-Assad

“They have grassroots support and they fight on home turf…Hezbollah worries me, to tell the truth.” –Yitfach, an Israeli army captain on concerns about fighting Hezbollah again

“We want to know what the ministry wants. We will not confront the people any more. The protesters are our relatives. We are losing our people and our brothers. My brother is a protester.” –An Egyptian police officer striking in protest of being used as a political tool

“This is what apartheid looks like…Separate bus lines for Palestinians and Jews prove that democracy and occupation can’t coexist.” –Israeli lawmaker Zehava Galon, who heads the leftist Meretz party in parliament

“There’s no Hamas, no Islamic Jihad and no Fatah when it comes to the sons of the Palestinian people, our heroic prisoners.” –A Palestinian activist shouted during a protest in Ramallah