CEDA reviews role of reforms in diversification of economy and surge in non-oil revenues    79 hospitality facilities in Makkah and Madinah face penalties for closure order violations    Saudi Arabia hosts large-scale iftar banquets in Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, and Malaysia    Saudi Arabia records 23,865 violations in nationwide residency and labor law inspections    S&P upgrades Saudi Arabia's credit rating to A+    Trump orders 'decisive' military action against Houthis in Yemen    US Senate passes Republican spending bill to avert government shutdown    Zelenskyy says territorial control key to peace talks, rejects recognition of occupied regions    Pakistan says train hijacking death toll rises to 30, accuses India and Afghanistan of supporting militants    Al Nassr climbs to third with dominant win over Al Khaleej, Al Qadsiah slips after loss to Damac    Power bank likely caused South Korea plane fire, investigators say    Makkah Lanterns Festival returns for the eighth year as part of Ramadan activities    Crown Prince receives Yazeed Al-Rajhi after historic Dakar Rally 2025 victory    SR17 million fines slapped on 16 individuals and companies convicted of violating Capital Market Law    Saleh Al-Shehri's late penalty rescues Al Ittihad against Al Riyadh    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Man lives for 100 days with titanium heart in successful new trial    Argentinian court begins trial of seven healthcare professionals over Maradona's death    Singer Wheesung who wooed Korea with his ballads, found dead at 43    Prince Frederik of Luxembourg dies from rare disease    Real-life shipwreck story wins major book award    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Obama's ambivalence erodes hope for peace
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 29 - 04 - 2011

THE great optimism that infused the world with the arrival of Barack Obama has quickly dissipated, nowhere more acutely than when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas provided nearly unfettered access to Newsweek's Israel reporter, Dan Ephron, and unleashing caustic criticism of the US president and his once-promising but now languishing initiatives to resolve the all but intractable conflict in Palestine.
Abbas expressed particular disappointment at the lack of US support for the UN resolution calling for a halt to all Israeli settlement activity. The resolution demanded that Israel “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory,” a position Obama long supported.
The resolution, Abbas said, was written using language taken directly from statements made by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. When the vote was taken at the Security Council, it was 14 in favor with one opposing. That one opposing vote was cast by the US, and it served to veto the resolution.
In the Newsweek article, Abbas lets loose on the US envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, claiming that he did not convey messages between the Palestinians and the Israelis. Abbas also says that Obama “threatened” him that going ahead with the UN vote would result in the US Congress withholding much needed foreign aid from the struggling Palestinian territories.
US officials have denied Abbas's most stringent charges – in some cases, credibly — but no one can deny the loss of faith the Arab Middle East has experienced in Obama. The president came into office promising a new approach to the region, one that would treat Arabs and, especially, Palestinians, fairly.
Obama, unfortunately, has backtracked on nearly all of his policies vis-a-vis the Middle East, and his waffling on recent events in the region has not bolstered confidence that there really is a new American approach to the area's multitude of issues.
Much of Obama's reluctance to follow through on his initial designs for Middle Eastern policy stem from reported complaints that his tough approach to Netanyahu lost his party votes in the mid-term elections.
It may also have increased his own vulnerability in the 2012 presidential elections. If he does prevail, then, like Bill Clinton before him, he may have greater leeway to take bolder steps in dealing with the Middle East in his second term. Until then, it seems that there will only be continued dissatisfaction in this part of the world regarding his policies. It is, indeed, dismaying, but the alternative, a Republican president who would continue the heedlessly pro-Israel policies of the past, could be even worse. __


Clic here to read the story from its source.