Al Jazeera has published some analysis on Obama's well received speech in Cairo this morning, here is a quick run through of their comments and Arab reaction.
Its always informative to see how messages are received by their intended audiences and Al Jazeera is the largest broadcast news network in the middle east, so their analysis could provide a good feel for how Obama's speech has come across.
http://english.aljazeera.net/...
I'll keep this diary brief for now and add more later, here are some pointed excerpts to mull over :
Positive reaction
Immediately after the wide-ranging speech, Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, said it helped undo "the harm done by the Bush administration"
"[The speech] was about willingness to engage in soft power while keeping the military option alive," Marwan said.
"It was a soft imperial speech that wanted to engage ... restore justice to the world and restore America's reputation.
"It reminded America of its new duties, of democracy, freedom ... without, at the same time, discounting the use of military power."
The US president spoke before a crowd of invited guests at Cairo University [Reuters]
A spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, described Obama's speech as a "good start".
"His call for stopping settlement and for the establishment of a Palestinian state, and his reference to the suffering of Palestinians ... is a clear message to Israel that a just peace is built on the foundations of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," Nabil Abu Rdainah said.
"President Obama's speech is a good start and an important step towards a new American policy," he said.
Ahmad Yousuf, a senior Hamas official, told Al Jazeera that Obama's speech reminded him of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream speech".
About Obama stressing on the legitimacy of Israel, he said the Palestinians must have a state of their own before being asked to recognise another.
But the message that America is not a threat to the Muslim world is a good signal, he said.
!!!! I am still in shock Hamas used such language. Our President is making us proud, changing minds and perspectives. Amazing.
\\\ Update - Reader comment /////
http://english.aljazeera.net/...
Mr. Obama covered all of the major concerns that the Muslim world faces except another parallel issue to the Palestine-Israel conflict and that is of Pakistan-India dispute over Kashmir. I hope to hear from him regarding the Kashmir issue, at least to throw some light if not suggesting a solution. He is on a noble task of promoting peace and may God give him the strength to carry on this mission.
sherykhan, Doha, Qatar
http://www.alarabiya.net/...
Heart
syed qurban hussain [ Thursday, June 04, 2009 ]
Obama is very good at heart and seems to be honest and very clear about his vision for this world God bless him and make him successful in his good efforts. He has delivered a very good speech that no American president dare to attempt to prevously.
7 -
This is talk for now, lets see if it turns into action
Tom S. [ Thursday, June 04, 2009 ]
This might be a nice shift from the USUAL AMERICAN ARROGANCE, but it's still talk. We need to see ACTION to believe that there's a shift in American Foreign Policy. You can start with Israel/Palestine. Uphold International law and stop using UN Veto privelages because Israel does not approve. If we let anyone do what they want without any checks and balances, we'll get Hitler and Nazi Germany. Israel cannot dictate what it wants through wars and oppression. Evenhandedness is essential to real peace. If the Israelis don't want peace, then they should be stripped from their American Blank Check. Once Obama and his administration starts doing instead of saying, we'll see long lasting peace. Palestine Free on the entire 1967 green line border with East Jerusalem as it capitol and no more occupation. Only then, will Israel see peace. Let's see if these dumb bastards know what they really want. Maybe they simply like the feeling of being a bully for so long they lost sight of reality. Only time will tell. As if we did not waste enough time already!
8 -
This is a big step
Sherif [ Thursday, June 04, 2009 ]
This is a big step done by a man who I think has good intentions. I hope people embrace Obama as a friend and trust that he wants what's best.
10 -
Yes to Obama's approach
Abdel-Kareem [ Thursday, June 04, 2009 ]
God bless you Obama and we (Arabs) want to work with you. We all need to prevail over the closed-minded Islamic, Christian and Jewish extremists and we need to build bridges between us. Love and forgiveness can help us all much more than wars and killings. To all of our brothers and sisters: Please give Obama a chance.
\\\ Update 2 - Further commentaries from Arab news sites/////
http://www.aawsat.com/...
In Iran, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a cleric who was vice president under reformist President Mohammad Khatami, called the speech "compensation to hostile environment which was created during President Bush."
"This can be an initial step for removing misconceptions between world of Islam and the West," he said.
http://www.daralhayat.com/...
...This exceptional message and the Saudi and Egyptian stops in Obama’s tour bring back to mind the visit by former US President Bill Clinton to Gaza (1998). It is now certain that Obama has freed himself from the "guarantees" and understandings reached by the George Bush administration with the Hebrew state which allowed it to unleash its settlement campaign.
The American administration’s belief that establishing a Palestinian state is the only solution to protect "America’s and Israel’s interests" and its refusal to bargain with Netanyahu during his cold meeting with Obama can only mean that the US president is implementing his own concept of "partnership" with Israel, one that is not based on the concept of the "spoiled" ally who has only to ask to get whatever it wants.
http://www.daralhayat.com/...
Throughout the years of struggle in the Middle East, especially since the mid-1950s, the Americans have constituted the great target that is easy to attack and accuse of all predicaments. Some of the regional regimes have gotten accustomed to blame Washington for their political failure, military defeats, bloody coups, unjust treatment of citizens, disinterest in development, inability to peacefully deal with their environment, as well as scientific and technological backwardness. Hence, hostility to Americans has turned into a raison d'être for these regimes and their permanent slogans on every occasion. Even their "defiance" slogan was reflective of their rejection of the US policy rather than an expression of suggested alternatives. Moreover, Israel exploited this situation and pursued its settlement policy – taking advantage of the blame thrown on Americans for all its actions.
Today, the White House master is showing that America is changing, and could change more if it found sufficient response; that it is not hostile to Arabs and Muslims or in a blind alliance with Israel; that it seeks a solution that would give Palestinians their independent state because this would preserve its national security, serve its interests, and reduce the threats to American military and civil presence in the Middle East.
There isn’t a clear and easily targetable "enemy" anymore. The open hand policy embarrasses extremism. The elimination of the US "scapegoat" - through withdrawal from Iraq, determined stances against Israeli settlement and the two-state solution - pulls the rug from under those who find in ongoing tensions their raison d'être, as peace and stability in the Middle East does not suit them. Although it is still too early to issue a definitive positive or negative judgment on the performance of the Obama administration, it seems to have encouraging repercussions on the Arab public opinion, as a poll has shown an increase in the popularity of the US President among Arabs. This development is enough to worry "defiants" in the various camps.