US President Joe Biden's announcement of the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was met with a storm of reactions across Arab platforms, amid contrasting welcome and critical and deplorable reactions, and others questioned the entire American narrative.

Commentators considered the operation as part of efforts to combat terrorism, and others criticized it, noting that it comes in light of the president's decline in popularity and in order to save the position of his Democratic Party before the midterm elections for Congress. Others also criticized the violation of state sovereignty by carrying out this operation.

Following this assassination, Al-Zawahiri's family commented, in exclusive statements carried by the Egyptian "Cairo 24" website, stressing that it only knew the news through the media.

Al-Zawahiri's family indicated that there has been no contact with him since he left Egypt dozens of years ago, and then joined Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, and said that if the news was true, "only mercy is permissible for him."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomes the announcement of His Excellency the President of the United States of America, Mr. Joseph Biden, about the targeting and killing of the leader of the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda, Ayman Al-Zawahiri pic.twitter.com/xDUuNOMA58

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇸🇦 (@KSAMOFA) August 2, 2022

welcome

The Saudi Foreign Ministry was one of the first commentators to announce in a tweet, through its official Twitter account, that it welcomed the killing of Al-Zawahiri and described him as a "terrorist."

The presidential political advisor in the UAE, Anwar Gargash, considered that the announcement of Al-Zawahiri's death "in conjunction with the anniversary of the invasion of Kuwait on the second of August is an opportunity for the region to reflect and reflect on the absurdity of extremism, terrorism and reckless military adventures."

The announcement of the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, coinciding with the anniversary of the invasion of Kuwait on August 2

- Dr.

Anwar Gargash (@AnwarGargash) August 2, 2022

The account of the Saudi writer, Abdullah Al-Tayer, described the leader of this organization as "the mastermind of Al-Qaeda" and "shedding the blood of the innocent" and that "the killer can kill even after a while."

The Saudi writer Fahd Debaji also considered that the role of Al-Zawahiri has ended, and said, "Simply the interest has ended and the American need for his presence has ceased, and America has turned his page to open another page as usual."

America gets rid of one of its loyal men it made to destroy the Islamic world and distort the image of Islam and Muslims #Ayman_Al-Zawahiri pic.twitter.com/WWFsd2DaaT

— Faisal Mudhish (@Faisal_Mudhish) August 1, 2022

Biden's popularity

Commenting on the impact of this assassination on the popularity of the American president, writer Abdel Bari Atwan said, "This assassination will not raise Biden's popularity because the man was not effective, and we do not rule out a young Yemeni leadership that takes the lead and is more strict that rebuilds the organization."

If the news of the assassination of Ayman al-Zawahiri in an American raid in Afghanistan is true, then the first row founding al-Qaeda may have ended and with it the organization in its original version.

— Abdel Bari Atwan (@abdelbariatwan) August 1, 2022

For his part, Saudi journalist two members of Al-Ahmari said, "There are three months left for the US elections, in which the American president throws his papers to save his party's weak position. He failed to pressure Saudi Arabia and increase oil production, so he used a worn-out card that is the rule."

As for the writer Abdullah Bandar, he said, "After Biden's popularity declined to its lowest levels among the American people and within the Democratic Party, which began with his withdrawal from Afghanistan, his failure to manage the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the rise in energy prices, he returns to Afghan lands by targeting Ayman al-Zawahiri, trying to gain people's trust. and restore its popularity.

Criticism, awareness and skepticism

On the other hand, the assassination was met with a wave of criticism and denunciation, and observers considered it a violation of the sovereignty of states.

In this context, Kuwaiti academic Abdullah Al-Shayji said, "America has violated Afghanistan's sovereignty, as it did when Osama bin Laden was assassinated."

🚨America says it succeeded in assassinating a prominent leader in #Al-Qaeda (#Ayman_Al-Zawahiri) in #Afghanistan -


but America violated the sovereignty of #Pakistan as it did during the assassination of #Obama - #Bin_Laden


- 🚨 there are reports of civilian deaths in the operation


Ibn and Nassib Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior The #Taliban government in the raid on a house in #Kabul pic.twitter.com/Z5l7SN11RL

— Abdullah Al Shayji Prof (@docshayji) August 1, 2022

Al-Zawahiri’s tweets mourned and confirmed the continuation of the jihad process, and one of them said, “Jihad for the sake of God is a general rule and a continuous message that does not end with the death or death of anyone, as it is a message that extends for more than 1,400 years.”

Another tweeter said, "I lived seeking the glory of this nation and raised it, and it proved the best of stability, and adversities passed by you lowering the crane, and you adhered to the path of adversity, so you have no channel, and no world has been tempted by you, and today it rises from the window of martyrdom, leaving a great trail (..) like mountains in a state. May God accept you among the martyrs, and raise your rank among the righteous.”

The Mujahid Sheikh #Ayman_Al-Zawahiri joined the companions of his path who preceded him in martyrdom, and this is the approach of the Mujahideen.

The rule of jihad for the sake of God is a general rule and a continuous message that does not end with the death or killing of anyone. It is a message that extends for more than 1,400 years.

We ask God to unite the row and the word, and to grant us adherence to His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet.

pic.twitter.com/wGX2RNGsyW

— Rajab Seif El Din Berri (@Seyif_Al_Berri) August 2, 2022

In another context, tweeters questioned the American version, including Najeh Ibrahim, one of the founders of the Islamic Group in Egypt, an expert in the affairs of Islamic groups, explaining in press statements that Al-Zawahiri is at least 70 years old, and his health condition is not stable, and if death occurs, it is natural.