Obama Sends Message to Israel That It's Not Business as Usual

If there ever was a speech by an American president that detailed the complexities of the Middle East with simple common sense it was President Barack Obama's historic foreign policy address Thursday in Cairo to the Muslim world.

Although the tangibles I had hoped for were missing, Obama's speech offered something not witnessed in American foreign policy for more than a decade: balance.

There has been considerable discussion in recent days about Obama's "tough love" attitude towards Israel regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He delivered that message to Israel today but he also gave equal measure to the Arab nations.

For the first time ever I am beginning to sense that Israel will be held accountable for its actions and its failure to embrace the two-state solution. Why? Unlike previous presidents, Obama spoke of "Palestine." He spoke of Israel's "daily humiliations" on Palestinians and Israel's "occupation." These words can't be dismissed as rhetoric. It's the same language that Muslims use to describe our grief over the conflict. It's recognizing the existence of Palestine.

At the same time he told his predominately Muslim audience that suicide bombers have surrendered their moral authority by killing old women on buses and that Hamas must come to terms with recognizing Israel's right to exist. Whenever he spoke of the failings of Arabs to find a path to peace, he brought the same message to Israel.

This frank discussion was punctuated and given credibility by Obama's own biography, which he invoked to remind his audience that he does indeed understand the Muslim point of view. He pointed out that there are mosques in every U.S. state and that Muslims there enjoy the same successes as non-Muslim Americans. He pointed out that U.S. congressman Keith Ellison was sworn into office using Thomas Jefferson's Holy Qur'an. He quoted the Q'uran and spoke of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Weaving his personal biography and America's biography into a speech that treated Israelis and Palestinians equally -- and for that matter Muslims and non-Muslims as equal partners -- demonstrate what so few politicians have achieved since 9/11. He emphasized the commonality among Muslims and non-Muslims and not the divides.

Yet his tone bordered on a lecture at times, particularly when he pointedly discussed democracy, freedom of speech and religion, and women's rights that were clearly directed at the Egyptian government and other Arab nations. But it's difficult to fault him when he acknowledged the role the United States played in the overthrow of the democratically elected Mohammad Mossadeq government in Iran in 1953.

Obama's critics will probably view this speech and his visit to the Middle East as his "apology tour" where he acknowledged mistakes, reached out to a marginalized segment of the world community with a naïve message of peace, and threw Israel to the wolves.

I don't see it that way. Obama is not going to fix everything and probably not even most things in the Middle East. But he set the tone that rhetoric and slavish loyalty to one country at the expense of the rest of the region is not the answer to peace. His speech put Israel and Arab leaders on notice that it is no longer business as usual.

Comments

[messy]

What''s interesting, is that Israel has ALWAYS recognized the existence of "Palestine." It's the reciprication that has been holding things up.

[uinsane]

Oh messy you need to look at the actions not the empty words. Look at the map then say that about Israel.

[Fuji]

Sabria, why aren't jews allowed into Saudi Arabia?

[Macready]

excellent analysis . . thank you so much for posting . . . I too was happy to hear Obama acknowledge the role the US played in outsting Mossedagh . . . and he recognition of the daily sufferings and humiliating of the Palestinians . . . I want to see the new policy in action in all areas . . I particularly want to see a Palestinian state and an end to the West slavish support of israel . . israel must return to its pre-war 1967 boundaries . . . if UN sanctions have to be applied then the sooner they are the better . . .israel has to be held responsible for its crimes . . .

[Thabit]

Asalaam alaikum wa rathmatulahi wa barakatu
I am American and i am muslim for 6 years , while i knew Obama was christian i voted for him in the last election for the reasons you saw in Cairo yesterday. I hoped that having muslims in his family would make him more even handed that his opponent would have been. It remains to be seen how much he can actually do there is a powerful Israeli lobby in the usa and senators and congressmen bought and paid for by AIPAC but at least it is a start

[Kirby]

How right you are Thabit; that element is ready to do everything in its formidable power to obstruct any thing Obama can do to ameliorate the awful situation in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. And the extremist zionist fringe element in cahoots with Shin Bet and Mossad operatives around the world probably have a contract out on Obama. Let us pray that the Secret Service can keep its ever high vigilance, for that fringe element is very upset at this time.
Long live a moderate Israel, with peaceful and non-enlargement intentions, and long live Palestine, each, side by side, safely, and each with its own sovereignty.

[messy]

Silly antisemitism is still antisemitism. as Kirby has just proven

[barakagirl]

He was really balanced. I've never heard anyone speak to the "Muslim World" like this with so many truth.

[S1m0n]

And tragic that the US and Israel have given them the chance, and made it all too plausible.

[BobLablah]

It's sad that rulers in the middle east keep blaming their failures on Israel and the US.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

There seems to be enough blame rhetoric and enough blame to go around. Hopefully this new administration gave everyone incentive to come to the peace table with an open mind.

[loOranks]

You honestly think a speech, even as eloquent as Obama's, will make Hamas suddenly accept the existence of the state of Israel?