Obama Sets a New Course in the Middle East

[drbob]

President Barack Obama's speech at Cairo University was a start to put America's relations with Muslims worldwide, and particularly Muslims in the Middle East, on a new footing.  The speech is, of course, only a start.  It will take actions by both America and Middle East nations to make a real difference. 
In an Arab capital city, Obama made it a point to reaffirm America's "unbreakable" ties with Israel.  He condemned anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, while noting (almost drawing an equivalence) the suffering and "the daily humiliations" that come with the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.  He said Israelis and Palestinians are "two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history...."  For some people, in Israel and the U.S., specifically our own Rush Limbaugh, the comparison was a bit too much.
Obama deftly employed quotes from the sacred writings of the three great monotheistic faiths – Islam, Judaism, and Christianity—to develop points in his speech.  An American Muslim imam, quoted in the Washington Post, said he was "amazed" at Obama's sophisticated use of the Koran.  He quoted the Golden Rule from all three faiths and the phrase "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth" from the Koran.  The phrase is particularly meaningful to Muslims because it is words spoken by Muhammad in his final sermon.  And when speaking of Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, he used the phrase "May peace be upon them," a term of respect used by Muslims but seldom by non-Muslims. 
Obama was also careful not to use the term "terrorism" in his speech.  Instead he referred to "violent extremists."  This carefully crafted language set a new tone for U.S. relations with Muslim majority nations and set America at a crossroads, raising expectations that America can help broker a lasting peace between Israel and Palestinians. 
Most significantly, Obama made it clear that America considers the Israeli settlements on the West Bank of the Jordan River illegal.  Israelis have built 120 walled settlements in Palestinian territory since 1967 and they are still growing.  Obama is not the first President to declare the settlements illegal, but he's the first since Jimmy Carter.  Presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter have all held the view that the settlements are a violation in the Geneva Convention. 
The settlements are the main sticking point holding up an agreement between Israel and Palestinians, and the problem is getting worse every day.  The settlements displaced Palestinian families from land that have been in their family for generations.  Now, however, some Israeli families have been in these settlement lands for almost 50 years.  In order to help settle this problem, Obama will have to walk a very narrow middle path.  Something the U.S. has been heretofore unable to do.  The Washington Posts' David Ignatius says the Obama will have to "articulate U.S. policy more clearly than any previous President has done and will have to demonstrate that he means what he says."  He will have to upset some people that have previously been friends and hopefully make friends of some who have been enemies.