US President Barack Obama's speech on Thursday was expected to focus on new realities in the Middle East following the tumult that has gripped the region since the beginning of the year, with major governmental changes in Tunisia and Egypt and violent confrontations growing in Libya, Yemen and Syria. Although he did, indeed, mention the turmoil, he focused on the problem that has been afflicting the region for more than 50 years – the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Obama's speech prompted the ire of Israel even before it was delivered, as advance copies of the speech clearly delineated the US position that future negotiations over development of a Palestinian state should begin with pre-1967 borders, making some adjustments for Israeli settlements outside of Israel proper that, in the eyes of the world, are illegal and were realized in direct violation of UN directives. It is, in some ways, a reflection of the land-for-peace concept that has floated through negotiations for years, always with the condemnation of Israel. On the surface, Obama's speech aligned the US with the Palestinian position that lines for a Palestinian state should be based on pre-1967 borders, before Israel occupied and developed territory captured during war. Israeli spokespeople have said that such borders would leave them defenseless, but leaks that came from prior negotiations have shown, much to the dismay of many Palestinians, Palestinian negotiators have been willing to accept some alteration to those borders in the quest for peace and a Palestinian state. The Americans will now pursue negotiations with an emphasis on borders and security, calling for a non-militarized Palestinian state, which is certain to draw criticism from some Palestinian quarters. Obama, however, left out what will probably be the most contentious issues - the right of return and the future of Jerusalem. Obama stated bluntly that the international community is tired of repeated negotiations that bring no resolution and no reasonable compromise on the part of either parties. Whether the emphasis on a return to pre-1967 borders will change that is yet to be seen. We can only hope that it does, indeed, bring about the kind of cooperation that has long been missing. __
