Arab world still looking for ‘change’

Posted: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 4:10 PM
Filed Under: Cairo, Egypt

"You can't believe the change," said Gamal Abdel Gawad, a senior political analyst in Cairo. "People are beginning to entertain the idea of the U.S. as a force of good, not evil."

But other Arab and Muslim reporters and editors gathered in Cairo to hear from President Obama’s Mideast envoy remain skeptical.

"Where is the policy? Is it just words?" asked Kareem Fathi, a correspondent for Kuwait TV. 

Amr Nabil / AP

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, right, meets with U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell in Cairo on Wednesday.

Beginning with his inauguration promise to seek "a new way forward" with the Muslim world based on "mutual respect," Obama has made headlines across the region by announcing the closure of the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, making his first official telephone call as president to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, sending his Middle East envoy George Mitchell to the region (whose Irish-Lebanese parentage has been duly noted by many), and granting his first television interview to the Arab satellite network al-Arabiya.

"[Obama's] approach was extraordinary because of his choice," said Randa Abul Azam, Al- Arabiya’s Cairo Bureau Chief.  "He corrected eight years of Bush during which Arabs and Muslims felt portrayed as terrorists. He is trying to mend that mistake. The distinction has been made and is felt and appreciated." 

'U.S. policy must change'
Obama’s Mideast envoy Mitchell is on a tour of the region this week. He was in Cairo on Wednesday to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, before continuing on to Israel, and I took advantage of the opportunity to ask some of the reporters and editors waiting for him about their expectations for the new administration. 

Most seem to agree with Azam and Gawad that President Obama already has helped thaw relations, but many doubt that his charm offensive, however sincere, will translate into new policies toward the Palestinian-Israeli problem and other vexing issues like Iraq.  

"The most important thing is there will be no change in U.S. policy, only a change in the image of the U.S.," said Arab News Network reporter Yasser Gawara. "George Mitchell succeeded in Northern Ireland, but before he does anything, the U.S. policy must change."

"It was a good thing [Obama] mentioned Muslims, but will words be enough without any acts?  He appointed George Mitchell, which is a good thing, but he also appointed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, and we know she is in solidarity with Israel," Fathi, the Kuwait TV correspondent, said. 

Others contend that Obama's decision to hit the ground running in the Middle East indicates that he sees Palestinian-Israeli peace as essential to regional stability and U.S. interests.

"All those [actions] indicate that he is interested, really interested in doing something different in the Middle East, that the Middle East is high on the priorities of the U.S. President," concluded the political analyst Gawad.

"We have good, positive indications from his inaugural speech, his appointment of George Mitchell and his interview with Arabiya," said Abul Azam (who works for the network). "But the hurt is so much. Iraq is still occupied. Palestine and Gaza are as we see. People need to see real change on the ground."    

Suzy el Geneidy, a veteran political reporter for the Egyptian political magazine Al Ahram Al Arabi, is willing to give Obama a chance. 

"[Obama] does not think Muslims are bad or evil ...His statements give us more reason to be optimistic. He wants to reach out and have a dialogue," she said. "His policy might not change 100 percent, but maybe there is an ability to listen more, a possibility of minor changes."

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