Reactions in the Islamic world to Obama’s speech generally positive but cautions
Beirut (AsiaNews) – Reactions to President Barack Obama’s speech have been generally positive with a few exceptions. For many words must be followed by deeds, especially on the Palestinian question, the most controversial issue touched by the US president in his speech.
Egypt
In a statement on Al-Arabiya satellite network a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood said that the president’s speech was good but that only time would tell whether it would be realised. Instead he called on the almighty to bring to the world the principles the US president expressed to the Islamic world. He said that the US leader spoke about Palestine and the Palestinians but tiptoed around the issue and could not say more because of the “strength of the Zionist lobby.”
The head of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Political Bureau, Essam El-Erian, said that the speech was “a good start” and that Obama as president followed what he said as candidate, “but we're waiting for action on the ground.” He added that the US leader also tried to satisfy everyone by quoting from the Qur’an, the Bible and the Torah to stress the need for “peace and dialogue.”
Egypt’s grand Mufti Ali Gomaa said that the speech signalled a promising beginning for a new era in the relationship between the United States and the Arab and Islamic worlds, paving the way for a real dialogue between civilisations.
Grand Imam of al-Azhar Mohammed Sayed Tantawi voiced his hope that Mr Obama’s speech would be translated into practical measures and become a real opportunity to start a dialogue between the Muslim world and the West. He also noted that the president’s speech was largely objective, and said that he hoped Obama would be able to stand up for what’s right and forbid what’s wrong, especially regarding the Palestinian crisis.
For his part, Sarwat Bassili from Egypt’s Coptic Church said that when the president spoke about the Copts and freedom of religion his reference to the rights of minorities was general, not limited to Christians.
Iraq
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh called the speech “historic” and “important”, reflecting a positive standpoint for the new US administration. He noted that by quoting from the Qur’an the chances to change the overall view will be improved; however, “actions are a must,” he said.
Dabbagh went on to say that his government was satisfied regarding Obama’s pledge to uphold agreements with Iraq and withdraw US troops as planned.
By contrast, for Hazim al-Naimi, a political science professor at Baghdad University, the speech contained nothing new for Iraq other than a guarantee about minority rights and consensual politics. For him, it was nothing more than an attempt to get away from his predecessor’s errors in Iraq.
Syria
A Syrian lawmaker, Muhammad Habash, said that people should not be overexcited because Obama went to Cairo to serve the interest of his country. However, he added, common ground can be found in order to benefit from Obama’s speech after Bush’s mistakes regarding the Islamic world.
Muhammad Hassan, a lawyer, said that in his direct approach to Arab masses, he explicitly defended democratic principles and universal human rights after decades of US support for dictatorial regimes in the Middle East.
“Thank you for your words, President Obama,” said Syria’s Grand Mufti Ahmed Badr Al-Din Hassoun, “but we want to see deeds, not just words, and while we are still alive.” The grand mufti added that the president should not fear about Christianity’s fate in the East.
Lebanon
Hizbollah’s deputy chief Hassan Fadlallah said that the “Islamic world does not need moral or political sermons. It needs a fundamental change in American policy beginning from a halt to complete support for Israeli aggression on the region, especially on Lebanese and Palestinians, to an American withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan.” For him there is “no real change” to US policy towards the Palestinian cause.
Iran
Mohammad Marandi, who chairs the North American Studies programme at Tehran University, said that Obama's tone on Iran was “significantly more positive” but that it still had some negative aspects.
“I think,” he said, that “Iranians alongside the people of the region expect the same change that Obama was promising to the American people, for American policies in the Middle East region as well.”
“America has to change. Talking is not enough. He can make a few more speeches but people are starting to ask: what are you going to change? The US has to re-evaluate its policies towards the region, whether towards Iran, or [. . .] Palestine.”
Palestine
For Mousa Abu Marzook, deputy chairman of Hamas’ Political Bureau, the US administration’s position towards his organisation has not changed. He noted that Obama mentioned the Palestinian people and the injustice it has suffered, but whilst his conciliatory tone is different from that of previous administrations it is also designed to serve US interests and protect its place in the world.
For Nabil Abu Rdeneh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, President Obama’s “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.” President Obama’s reference to partnership and peace “is the beginning of a new American policy”.
Jordan
Jordan’s Information and Communication minister and government spokesman Nabil Sharif said that the US president’s speech has many positive aspects, especially in relation to Israeli-Palestinian peace, with its focus on the need to solve the Palestinian question on the basis of a two-state solution.
In the media
In “Speech draws mixed reactions,” Saudi-based Arab News says that “[l]ocal [Saudi] reactions to US President Barack Obama’s speech in Cairo yesterday were mostly positive, with a few expressing reservations over whether the president’s eloquent words would result in actions—especially pertaining to Palestinian sovereignty and the statehood”.
For Lebanon’s An Nahar, “There was plenty of enthusiasm across the Muslim world for President Barack Obama's Cairo speech Thursday, although much of it was tempered by a withholding of judgment until talk of change is translated into action.”
In Saudi Arabia Tariq al-Humayid, editor of al-Sharq al-Awsat, simply noted that Obama does not have any magic wand to solve all the problems.
Middle East Online pointed out that Obama is the first US president to say that Palestine has a right to exist. In referring to the right of the Palestinian people to exist in his speech to the Muslim world Barack Obama becomes the first US president to use these words, Muna Salim wrote. He is also the first to refer to the “resistance” even though he said that resistance through violence was a mistake.
Another article on the same website highlighted Obama’s belief that America and Islam were not adversaries and that he called for a “new beginning” between the United States and the Muslim world. Still his failure to mention a new initiative to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was also noted.
In an article on Al-Quds Al-Arabi Hosam Abu Talib and Mohamed Nasr noted that although after an historic speech Obama left Cairo with a new start with the Muslim world, he did not make any new peace proposals or even specifically talked about democracy and human rights in the Arab world, something many hoped he would do. His support for the veil and freedom of expression were also not very welcome.
In Qatar, which is involved in several diplomatic initiatives, an editorial on Peninsula called Obama’s words “[g]round-breaking [. . .] one word which can sum up the global reaction to US President Barack Obama’s speech.”
“[W]hen the speech was finally delivered, expectations were running high” despite an outlook tempered by reality. “Both in style and content, the speech touched many hearts,” especially because of “the Islamic greeting expressed in Arabic, quotes from the Holy Qur’an and Bible; and his call for a new beginning with the Muslim world”.
Although critics have noted the lack of substance on specific issues, or the fact that he did not lay out any peace plan for the Middle East, “one thing is certain; Obama has set the bar high and his every word and action will be watched keenly. He has delivered enough words and promises,” and now “it’s time for some action, and more of it, to realise his objectives.”
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