THE resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will usher in democracy in the most populous Arab state and will probably change the regional balance of power, Jordanian political analysts said Saturday.

    “This is a new era in Egypt and the Arab world. It will see a new regime in Egypt that is not suppressive and has large room for democracy,” political analyst Mohammad Au Rumman said.

    Political analyst Fahed Khitan echoed similar opinions by saying “there will definitely be more freedom and democracy in the Arab world.”

    The world countries agree that the fall of Mubarak’s regime will usher in a new era in the Middle East in general, while expressing concerns over the future of the country and the Middle East.

    U.S. President Barack Obama said the United States would continue to be a friend and partner of Egypt, adding that Egypt would never be the same again.

    Mubarak’s resignation, the analysts said, should encourage other Arab states to embark on reforms and learn lessons from the revolution in Egypt and Tunisia.

    Meanwhile, the fall of Mubarak after 18 days of protests led by Egypt’s young people will affect the regional balance of power, the experts said.

    “The Palestinian National Authority lives in a nightmare. The situation of former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is weak and even the situation in other Gulf states is not stable,” the experts said.

    The resignation of Mubarak, who was a strategic ally of the United States that enjoys close ties with Israel, was likely to lead to the “death” of the stalled peace process as Egypt “might demonstrate a new position” with Israel, the pundits said.

    The Arab nations have constantly pushed for a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians in light of a regional peace based on the Madrid Conference principles, the Arab Peace Initiative and related international resolutions.

    They said Mubarak’s resignation was likely to make Israel more self-centered and become a “fortress” seeking its own security above all issues, a matter that they said would cause a further impasse in the peace process.

    (Xinhua)