Obama opened "window of hope" says Arab League
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from
by Cynthia Johnston - June 24, 2009 - 12:00am

CAIRO (Reuters) - The Arab League said on Wednesday it saw a "window of hope" for Middle East peace and Arab states would respond positively to U.S. President Barack Obama's vision for resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict. But the league likened negotiating with Israel while settlements were continuing to expand as tantamount to surrendering on "matters over which we cannot surrender."

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The Obama World Order
Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In New York Magazine - June 22, 2009 - 12:00am

It’s a long-held piece of Washington conventional wisdom—and, unlike most long-held pieces of Washington conventional wisdom, this one actually happens to be true!—that Democratic presidents tend to be more interested in domestic policy, while Republicans like making foreign policy.

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The Obama World Order
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from New York Magazine
by Michael Tomasky - (Editorial) June 19, 2009 - 12:00am

It’s a long-held piece of Washington conventional wisdom—and, unlike most long-held pieces of Washington conventional wisdom, this one actually happens to be true!—that Democratic presidents tend to be more interested in domestic policy, while Republicans like making foreign policy.

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Thank God Obama favors the 'old' Mideast
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
by Leon Hader - (Opinion) June 19, 2009 - 12:00am

In July 2006, then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice travelled to Lebanon in an effort to bring an end to the war raging there between Israel and Hizbullah. At the time, she tried to market to reporters in Washington a somewhat odd spin on the violence taking place, not only in Lebanon but also in Iraq and Israel and Palestine. "What we're seeing here is, in a sense, the growing - the birth pangs of a new Middle East, and whatever we do, we have to be certain that we're pushing forward to the new Middle East, not going back to the old Middle East," Rice explained.

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Winds of Change?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Thomas L. Friedman - (Opinion) June 13, 2009 - 12:00am

Twenty years ago, I wrote a book about the Middle East, and recently I was thinking of updating it with a new introduction. It was going to be very simple — just one page, indeed just one line: “Nothing has changed.” It took me two days covering the elections in Beirut to realize that I was dead wrong. No, something is going on in the Middle East today that is very new. Pull up a chair; this is going to be interesting.

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Let's applaud the change in US policy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) June 13, 2009 - 12:00am

One of the fascinating developments taking place before our eyes these days is the evolution of America's power and presence in the Middle East - though it remains to be seen if this is a truly constructive change in policy or merely a temporary cosmetic repackaging of failed old ways. Two important points should be noted: American power is a constant factor in the region, regardless of whether one likes or dislikes how it is applied; and public perceptions of the United States throughout the Middle East are not fixed in stone, but rather respond in tandem to evolving American policies.

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Obama proving true to his word
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Francis Matthew - June 10, 2009 - 12:00am

Very few expected US President Barack Obama's speech to Muslims to lead to action on the Middle East so quickly. Only a week after Obama set out a whole new philosophy on how America would like to approach Muslims, George Mitchell, his special envoy to the Middle East, is already travelling in the region and looking at how to find a way forward in the Palestinian peace process.

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Obama's Message Should Be Embraced
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Khalaf Al Habtoor - (Opinion) June 9, 2009 - 12:00am

US President Barack Obama's peaceful sentiments towards the Muslim world are viewed with distrust or cynicism by some in this region and, to a point, that's understandable. I'm not given to wishful thinking and I'm definitely not naïve, but if we truly want to move forward we should do so with open hearts and minds while resisting the temptation to tar this American leader with the same brush as his predecessor.

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Eliminating the US “Scapegoat”
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Hassan Haidar - (Analysis) June 5, 2009 - 12:00am

Obama’s historical visit to the Middle East that he started in Saudi Arabia yesterday is of concern to all extremists, even those who are supposed to be staunch enemies – in theory at least. Israeli Minister of Transportation, Katz, who is close to Netanyahu, hastened to criticize the US endeavor to “win the hearts” of Iran and Al Qaeda and publicly criticize the Israeli settlement policy.

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Obama’s speech - warm and honest
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Daoud Kuttab - (Opinion) June 5, 2009 - 12:00am

President Barack Obama spoke to Arabs and Muslims from his own experiences and from his heart. Without conceding much but being honest with his audience, he clearly won over the hearts and minds of many people that have so far rejected America. By speaking honestly, even on issues that are not pleasing to hear, he succeeded in erasing the biggest blemish on all US administrations, hypocrisy when it comes to the Middle East conflict. By speaking of the need to recognise the right of Israel to exist, he highlighted the similar need to recognise the rights of a Palestinian state to exist.

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