Clashes in Egypt and Algeria following recent soccer matches between the two countries have highlighted existing tensions in inter-Arab relations, says Abdel Moneim Said at Al-Ahram. To some extent, the Egyptian-Algerian crisis reflects the notion that soccer is a civilian extension of international conflicts.

Said explains, “The fact is that the sports media contributed to ‘militarizing’ the recent match. Take, for example, the belligerent language of some headlines: ‘Declaration of war on Egypt’, ‘Algiers and the massacre of Cairo’, and ‘When Tel Aviv is more merciful than Cairo.’”

Hussein Shobokshi from Asharq-Alawsat argues that Egypt dealt with the hostilities between both countries with “unjustifiable emotional incitement,” granting greater importance than it deserved, while Algeria was no better and replicated a “pattern of violence.”

“These events confirm a typical pattern of violence, especially in light of the violent events experienced by [Algeria] on account of the fighting between the extremist groups in the country and the ruling regime,” he continues.

As for the public, Shobokshi deplores that it reached its conclusions on the basis of what was broadcast without questioning any of the ‘facts,’ demonstrating that interaction among Arab states is “fraught with cracks and flawed slogans.”

Shobokshi also points out that this latest debacle between Egypt and Algeria illustrates that old grudges are perpetuated as long as they are only addressed in “a simplistic manner;” a method that does not seem to be changing and will continue to encourage tension.

Diana Mukkaled for Asharq-Alawsat notes that the Arabs -- both political regimes societies -- have a long history of exchanging accusations and inciting fanaticism through words and actions.

Although Mukkaled also blames the media for fueling further tensions between both countries, she explains that the erosion of freedom of expression in the Arab world, not to mention an increase in marginalization and poverty, are the true culprits.

“The media was unleashed to play its game, inciting feelings over a sporting event, rather than politics,” argues Mukkaled. “The strict control that ruling regimes have over the media and the press has always been enough to rapidly contain such excesses without actually treating their underlying cause.”

The latest crisis allowed bottled-up anger to surface against the backdrop of a football match; however the slogans being raised were political, and their end result was hatred and mutual rejection. “It seems that investing patriotic sentiments in sport has become the job of the ruling regimes in order to heal internal rifts,” she concludes, “and this is something that both the media and [those] with pent-up anger got caught up in.”