Arabs shocked by Obama speech

[phk]

THURSDAY, JUNE 05, 2008
12:14 MECCA TIME, 9:14 GMT
Arabs shocked by Obama speech


Barack Obama said he spoke as a
"true friend" of Israel [EPA]

Arab leaders have reacted with anger and disbelief to an intensely pro-Israeli speech delivered by Barack Obama, the US Democratic presumptive presidential nominee.

Obama told the influential annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Council (Aipac): "Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided."

His comments appalled Palestinians who see occupied East Jerusalem as part of a future Palestinian state.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, told Al Jazeera on Thursday: "This is the worst thing to happen to us since 1967 ... he has given ammunition to extremists across the region".

"What really disppoints me is that someone like Barack Obama, who runs a campaign on the theme of change - when it comes to Aipac and what's needed to be said differently about the Palestinian state, he fails."

"I say to Obama ... please stop being more Israeli than the Israelis themselves, leave the Israelis and Palestinians alone to make decisions required for peace."

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, rejected the statement, saying: "We will not accept an independent Palestinian state without having Jerusalem as the capital.

"I believe that case is clear."

He said: "Jerusalem is part of the six points that are subjects on the negotiations' agenda.

"And the whole world knows that East Jerusalem, Arab Jerusalem and Holy Jerusalem were occupied in 1967."

'Hope slashed'

Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas, the largest Palestinian resistance group, also condemned the speech, saying on Thursday: "These statements slash any hope of any change in the American foreign policy.

"[They] assure that there is a total agreement between the two parties, the Democratic and the Republican, on support for the Israeli occupation at the expense of the rights of Arabs and Palestinian interests."

The ancient city of Jerusalem is divided into East and West. Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 war and unilaterally annexed it, in a move condemned by the United Nations as illegal.

Jerusalem's status as part of Israel is not internationally recognised and remains a central issue in peace negotiations.

'Unbreakable bond'

Obama, hours after securing his party's nomination on Wednesday, had gone on to say the US bond with Israel was "unbreakable today, unbreakable tomorrow, unbreakable for ever" and drew a standing ovation.

He told the gathering of one of US politics' most influential lobbying groups that, as president, he would "never compromise when it comes to Israel's security."

He also said any deal between Israelis and Palestinians should preserve Israel's identity as a Jewish state and that Hamas should be isolated and pledged to approve $30bn in aid to Israel over the next 10 years.

'Impressive speech'

Ehud Olmert, Israel's prime minister, called the Illinois senator's speech "very impressive".
"His words on Jerusalem were very moving," Olmert told reporters after meeting George Bush, the US president, at the White House.

The Illinois senator's comments come a day after US media projected that Obama had enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination and face John McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate, in the November election.

Iranian 'threat'

Obama also had harsh words for Iran, vowing to work to "eliminate" the threat it posed to security in the Middle East and around the globe.


Obama said an "undivided Jerusalem should
remain the capital of Israel" [AFP]
"There's no greater threat to Israel or to the peace and stability of the region than Iran," he told the Aipac assembly.

Calling for "aggressive, principled diplomacy" with Tehran, he also warned he would never take the military option off the table in guaranteeing US and Israeli security.

Iranians responded cautiously, but optimisticly, with officials expressing hope he can bring about change in Iran-US relations.

Hamidreza Hajibabaee, member of Iranian parliament, said: "We hope that Obama turns his words into actions, helps the Islamic Republic of Iran believe that the US has given up enmity and paves the way for fair negotiations."

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

[Eraserhead]

Are Arabs really that naive?

[Josh/Devilman88]

Who cares, United State is and will always be pro-Israel, where else will we hind our nukes?

[phk]

Who cares, United State is and will always be pro-Israel, where else will we hind our nukes?

So Obama wont be the transformational leader that will wipe away America's past sins?

[Mr. Morden]

Obama told the influential annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Council (Aipac): "Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided."

Parents, this is what happens when you send your kid to a "secular madrassa" rather than religious one. 

[The Mikado]

Hell, I wish our candidates (in both parties) didn't need to kowtow to the Israeli far right in order to not appear anti-Semitic, but that's how our system works.

Israeli Labor 2008/9!  (Whenever that election ends up being)

[7,052,770]

But Obama is a Muslim, so they actually love him.  They're just pretending to be shocked so that we don't realize he's a Muslim and throw him out.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

They have every right to be shocked. It's shocking that a Muslim like Obama would be so pro-Israel.

[Flying Dog]

They have every right to be shocked. It's shocking that a Muslim like Obama would be so pro-Israel.

Just...go away.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

They have every right to be shocked. It's shocking that a Muslim like Obama would be so pro-Israel.

Are you kidding? 

[Albus Dumbledore]

They have every right to be shocked. It's shocking that a Muslim like Obama would be so pro-Israel.

I know Wright hates America but last I checked he was a pastor and not an imam.

[ottermax]

As a Jew, I find Obama has the best position on Israel, and I even surprise myself by how pro-Israel I am. Arabs should appreciate his attempts to be balanced and fair, but he has every right to stand against extremism/terrorism.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Israel is the extremist with it's occupation of the west bank.

[Ban my account ffs!]

They have every right to be shocked. It's shocking that a Muslim like Obama would be so pro-Israel.

Are you kidding? 

He's just baiting you.. like the playground bully... all big and tough until he gets jacked in the face and he runs off crying to tell the teacher.

[Ronnie]

Obama is doing this to get the Jewish vote.  I can't find anyone who wants to have a tea party with Ahmadinejad to be pro-Israel.

I'm Jewish, and not so naive as to believe that Obama is as pro-Israel as everyone thinks.

[Stranger in a strange land]

They have every right to be shocked. It's shocking that a Muslim like Obama would be so pro-Israel.

I know Wright hates America but last I checked he was a pastor and not an imam.

either Obama is a Muslim Manchurian candidate out to destroy America or he attends a radical black church that preaches the blackness of Jesus. He can't be both.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Don't try bringing the truth to people who watch Fox noise.

[Reluctant Republican]

Israel is the extremist with it's occupation of the west bank.

While I'm not quite sure I agree with this, I do wish we could have a president who would take a more even hand in Middle Eastern relations, rather then being so warm to Israel(Which has its own drawbacks) as we are now. This is one of the few areas I feel more comfortable with Obama then McCain, and I therefore hope this speech was just a sly political move. Hopefully we can get a leader in there who one day is not so hair-trigger for one side or the other.

[classical liberal]

They have every right to be shocked. It's shocking that a Muslim like Obama would be so pro-Israel.

LOL.

Dude, use emoticons when you say stuff like this .

[Albus Dumbledore]

We need to withdraw recognition of Israel until they give their west bank/gaza arabs citizenship.

[classical liberal]

Israel is the extremist with it's occupation of the west bank.

While I'm not quite sure I agree with this, I do wish we could have a president who would take a more even hand in Middle Eastern relations, rather then being so warm to Israel(Which has its own drawbacks) as we are now. This is one of the few areas I feel more comfortable with Obama then McCain, and I therefore hope this speech was just a sly political move. Hopefully we can get a leader in there who one day is not so hair-trigger for one side or the other.

The sense I got from watching all of those Israel's 60th Anniversary fora on C-SPAN is that the current state of negotiations is that Israel is prepared to cede the non-Old City parts of Jerusalem, while the Old City is still an open question.  The current negotiators are working with the goal of getting something in writing to another Annapolis style conference so that the successor Israeli government can hold it as fait accompli and therefore inviolate in their pandering to jingoist voters.  This agreement will be presented (and honored by the US government) regardless of who is elected president.

[The Mikado]

Obama is doing this to get the Jewish vote.  I can't find anyone who wants to have a tea party with Ahmadinejad to be pro-Israel.

I'm Jewish, and not so naive as to believe that Obama is as pro-Israel as everyone thinks.

Tea party?