Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., June 08, 2009 Sivan 16, 5769 | | Israel Time: 15:47 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File
Share |
Last update - 18:14 04/06/2009
ANALYSIS / Obama put Arabs and Israel on an equal footing
By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Israel News, Obama, Arab 

On June 4, 2009 a new chapter began in the trilateral relations between the United States, the Arab world and Israel. One day before Israel marks the 42nd anniversary of the Six-Day War, U.S. President Barack Obama declared before the entire world, upon an Arab-Muslim stage, that the time has come to end the era of Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territories. Moreover, Obama announced that he was taking responsibility for doing so. The imbalance in the unequal U.S.-Israel-Arab triangle was replaced Thursday by an Isosceles triangle.

Join the debate on Obama's speech on the Haaretz.com Facebook group

O
Advertisement
bama was careful to quote equally from the Koran, Talmud and Torah in order to emphasize that what is at stake is not only merely transient interests, but a deep moral approach as well as his own fundamental values and those of the American nation. He even compared the Palestinians to black slaves in the U.S. and effectively offered them the opportunity of following in Dr. Martin Luther King's footsteps and obtaining their rights without resorting to violence.


The equal treatment of Jews and Muslims touched upon more than the history of the peoples of the Middle East. Alongside the prominence assigned to the Holocaust and America's commitment to its longstanding alliance with Israel, Obama also grouped Israel with the rest of the region's nations, including Iran, with regard to the issue of nuclear arms. Without naming Israel, Obama made it clear he is not opposed to peaceful nuclear programs, but was firm in his insistence that all nations operate within the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel has refused to sign the treaty, while Iran, who has signed it, does not abide by it.

Obama did not detail his plan for realizing the two-state solution and did not give a schedule. However, his unusual visit to Riyadh and Cairo, which came shortly after a visit to Turkey, another Muslim country, could be a source of disappointment for Israel, which had hoped that the economic crisis would distract Obama from foreign policy in general, and the Middle East in particular.

Obama's address placed the ball in Israel's court in a number of ways: First, it gave a clear and unequivocal endorsement of the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state with a reasonable time frame. Arab sources claim that Obama has committed himself to ending the Israel-Palestinian conflict by November 2010 - the halfway mark of his term in office. Second, it gave a clear directive to Israel's government and military to ensure the cessation of settlement expansion and to prepare for dismantling illegal outposts. Third, it emphasized Israel's need to open the Gaza border crossings to a wide range of supplies and make good on its promise to dismantle West Bank checkpoints.


Related articles:
  • Obama: I'll personally pursue two-state solution
  • Israel praises Obama speech, but says its security paramount
  • Full text of Obama's speech in Cairo to the Muslim world
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Saddam and the IDF
    Iraqi general tells of Arab armies' admiration for Israel's military establishment.
    Netanyahu on peace
    At U.S. pressure, PM to present next week principles on Middle East process.
      1.   Still lying Akiva ? Obama supports pal "right of return " 18:32  |  Absolute Sweden 04/06/09
      2.   "November 2008"? That`s when Israel broke the ceasefire... 18:37  |  BBSNews 04/06/09
      3.   Hamas supports the sudan leadership who are killing blacks 19:13  |  dan 04/06/09
      4.   Freezing the settlements 19:23  |  Mike 04/06/09
      5.   Equal footing 19:46  |  John Morita 04/06/09
      6.   Maybe! 19:51  |  Tired Palestinian 04/06/09
      7.   Today I spoke with 19:56  |  Jennifer 04/06/09
      8.   Bravo President Obama 19:58  |  richelle 04/06/09
      9.   Mike`s Post #4 Is Dead On 19:58  |  Binyamin 04/06/09
      10.   Well said President Obama 20:34  |  Lucee 04/06/09
      11.   Obama, no you can`t 20:46  |  Boruch 04/06/09
      12.   #5 John Morita is spot on!! 20:50  |  hadeel 04/06/09
      13.   # 7 jennifer 20:52  |  Axel 04/06/09
      14.   I love you OBAMA 20:53  |  Serenity 04/06/09
      15.   obama thing 21:01  |  nils 04/06/09
      16.   Dismantling Illegal Outposts, Freezing Settlements - Then What? 21:11  |  chet 04/06/09
      17.   Note Cairo crowd`s applause and silence 21:12  |  American in NYC 04/06/09
      18.   BBS flaw understanding 21:16  |  arik 04/06/09
      19.   Well Said Mike #4 21:20  |  Todd 04/06/09
      20.   Obama #1 21:21  |  A J Myers 04/06/09
      21.   inequality 21:23  |  elimelech 04/06/09
      22.   Obama #2 - Thirdly, Mr Obama you failed to recognise the 21:23  |  A J Myers 04/06/09
      23.   Obama #3 21:24  |  A J Myers 04/06/09
      24.   Obama #4 21:25  |  AJ Myers 04/06/09
      25.   doesn`t need your vote 21:30  |  Wood 04/06/09
      26.   Wrong BS news 21:30  |  Jasper 04/06/09
      27.   For my friend Absolute Sweden # 1 21:48  |  Fortuna Benmayor 04/06/09
      28.   Have I reached Al-Jazeera? 21:50  |  frank 04/06/09
      29.   GO OBAMA !!! 21:51  |  Nidal 04/06/09
      30.   Name the congressman Jennifer... 21:52  |  BBSNews 04/06/09
      31.   Obama speech 02:05  |  LISASPEN 05/06/09
      32.   #4 Mike, NO!!!! 02:30  |  yuval 05/06/09
      33.   BBS News P1 02:39  |  TonyL 05/06/09
      34.   BBSNews P2 02:41  |  TonyL 05/06/09
      35.   Two things: 02:42  |  17 05/06/09
      36.   Jennifer`s congressman 02:43  |  Ilene 05/06/09
      37.   BBSNews P3 02:46  |  TonyL 05/06/09
      38.   Obama 04:18  |  BZ 05/06/09
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    hotel Jerusalem
    David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels.
    ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE
    IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles
    Dead Sea Skin Care
    Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    More Headlines
    13:50 U.S. envoy: Obama wants 'immediate' Mideast talks
    15:13 IDF kills four Gaza militants, thwarting apparent kidnap bid
    14:50 Lebanon's Western-backed majority beats Hezbollah at polls
    14:49 ANALYSIS / Hezbollah may have lost, but it will still rule Lebanon
    11:01 Ex-finance minister Hirchson guilty of multimillion shekel fraud
    14:04 Israel ministry wages settlement war against U.S.
    12:01 Live from Iraq: It's Stephen Colbert
    20:58 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
    09:56 Knesset still without panel for top secret intelligence affairs
    10:12 Ultra-Orthodox blame their own for parking lot opening on Sabbath
    10:15 Bad Hebrew costs thousands of immigrants their jobs as armed guards
    08:58 Far-right British National Party wins first two European Parliament seats
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
    | Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel
    | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved