The View From the Arab World

(from a Saudi newspaper)
(from a U.A.E. publication, purporting to show "Jews" disrupting Obama)

TW: The Middle East Research Institute gathered responses from Arab media to Obama's Cairo speech. Below are a couple of them plus a couple of cartoons: one positive, one of the prejudiced sort reflecting the gulfs which Obama and others are trying to overcome.

Al-Hayat Columnist for Al-Hayat Raghidah Dergham wrote: Partnership With the U.S. - An Arab Interest-
"The Arabs and their leaders must remember that the peace endeavor is in the interest of the Middle East's younger generation. It is they who must transform the victory [achieved] in the battle for peace into an Arab victory - considering that for 42 years, Israel has rejected peace and maintained a siege mentality, since its 1967 occupation of the Arab territories, while many generations of Arabs were taught to call [this war] a defeat...

"It is in the Arab and Muslim interest to consider forging partnerships with the U.S. and with President Obama, instead of wallowing in the culture of 'accusations of treason' and always blaming others. Arabs and Muslims are not always victims, although [at times] they, too, are victims of extremism and terrorist activities carried out by Arabs and Muslims, not against the U.S. and the West but against Muslims - as is now happening in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"If only Obama's initiative vis-à-vis the Muslims and the Arab countries… would be an incentive to innovative thought and the formulation of a strategy… that would shift [our] self-esteem from a place of Nakba and defeat to a place of self-confidence and ability to [create] impact and change…"

Al-Ahram (Egypt) Editor Osama Saraya: We Must Improve Relations with the U.S.
"Obama's speech was good not only because of his personality, his influence, or the sentiments that have surrounded him since he arrived at the White House, but also because it contained new terms and ideas, and significant clues as to the expected changes in American policy in the coming years...

"Obama has brought the U.S. closer to the Muslim world, and now we must draw closer to the U.S. if we are serious and if we want to take advantage of the proposed and expected changes in the U.S.'s positions. The solution to the problems between America and the Muslim world lie at the midpoint between the two sides, and there is no alternative but for each side to move some distance towards these solutions.

"Iran will undoubtedly find in Obama's speech statements that will anger it. The rejectionist forces will surely find in it statements that arouse their enmity, and Hamas will find its words to be oil poured on the bonfire of rage. This, even though Obama stressed [the importance of] Hamas' participation in the negotiations for resolving the conflicts.

"But unlike the forces that have chosen to flow at the margins of the Arab and Muslim river, a decided majority of Muslims certainly believe in the justice of Obama's words, and in his sincere desire to end the unnecessary conflicts and to find broad areas where the interests of everyone can meet."
http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD238409