The Arizona massacre: World reactions

While the U.S. media debates the larger lessons from Saturday's shootings in Tucson, Ariz., commentators from around the world are also considering the massacre through their own filters. Here, select views from editors and columnists in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere:

AUSTRALIA

This tragedy could inspire gun reform: While America's "diverse and confusing gun laws" might seem intractably fixed in place, says an editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald, we know that "laws and attitudes can change." Consider how the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, which left 35 dead, inspired Australia's conservative Howard government to introduce a gun amnesty. Maybe this "attempted assassination" will finally "bring about commonsense reform of gun laws" in the U.S.

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"Time to holster U.S. gun laws"

GERMANY

Blaming Palin only strengthens her: The American left ought to back down from its "massive criticism of Sarah Palin" for her infamous crosshairs map, says Marc Hujer at Der Spiegel. Nothing benefits Palin more than being "a victim of the liberal elite," and these "baseless" accusations only serve to turn her into more of a "political martyr" than she already is.

"Blaming Sarah Palin for Arizona shooting is wrong"

ISRAEL

Rep. Giffords is a true Jewish hero: Gabrielle Giffords is a bold "Jewish role model," says an editorial in The Jerusalem Post. Her strong Jewish values were reflected in her "willingness to hear diverse opinions" — an admirable trait that was "despicably exploited" by her attacker. But, for many, Giffords wouldn't be considered a Jew at all, having inherited her faith from her father. This tragedy reminds us of the "complicated reality that many 'non-Jews' are more Jewish than their 'Jewish' fellows."

"Learning Judaism from Giffords"

TAIWAN

This is history repeating itself: We Taiwanese, says an editorial in The China Post, cannot help but note the eerie parallels between the Giffords shooting and the attack on Sean Lien, son of our former vice president, last November. The truth is, as the political "trend of 'getting close to people'" continues, officials are increasingly "shunning their entourage of security details" for publicity reasons. To do so is good neither for politics nor for the country.

"Protection for politicians not just for their own safety"