US President Barack Obama has called on the Palestinians and Arab countries to make "hard choices" and offer recognition to Israel. He stressed that the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made some progress, but "it is not enough." During his visit to Berlin, hours after his Cairo's speech, Obama voiced readiness to enter into "serious discussion" with Iran in the future.
During his 24-hour visit, Obama held quick talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the Middle East, relations with Iran and Russia, as well as the financial crisis.
I understand well that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is subjected to political pressure due to Washington's call to stop Jewish settlement in the West Bank. Obama added that he is more serious than the US presidents in recent years, in order to achieve peace in the Middle East, pointing out that he created appropriate climate for new talks.
On the other hand, Obama's speech met with a mixed reaction inside and outside Egypt. The speech focused on seven points; religious extremism, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Iran, democracy, religious freedom, women and economic development. Rights activists emphasized that Obama talked about democracy only to avoid the criticism of the US institutions.
Obama's speech dealt with human rights as a "marginal" issue, they said. Politicians stressed that the US president did not use the word "terrorism" when talking about extremism. Obama was clear when identifying enemies, as he targeted Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
Nuclear experts have welcomed Obama's speech on Iran and Israel, confirming that Obama has indirectly warned Tel Aviv that he allows a nuclear escalation in the region. They also thought Obama is the first US President to recognize the nuclear Israel.
The three Egyptian Churches have welcomed Obama's speech on religious freedoms. However, they agreed unanimously that his speech on the Copts in Egypt was "just an example," according to several sources.
At the world level, the speech met with a mixed reaction. It was welcomed by the Israeli Left and Center and attacked by the Right, especially by the leaders of the settlers. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his disappointment at what he described as Obama's "soft" stance towards Iran's nuclear ambitions.
In Washington, the leader of the Republican Bloc at the House of Representatives John Burner has praised Obama's speech, describing it as optimistic. However, he expressed concern over Obama's speech on Iran and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
US Muslims have expressed their satisfaction and great hope after Obama's speech, stressing that it is totally different from Bush's anti-Islam speech eight years ago. Meanwhile Jordanian Islamists said Obama's speech on the Palestinian cause is not satisfactory, Hezbollah described it as "compositional."
