Obama’s Speech: a Syrian Reaction
\nBy Ehsani
\nSyria Comment, Thursday June 4, 2009<\/p>\n
It is tempting to get intoxicated by what some are already calling Obama\u2019s \u201cnew beginning with the Muslim world\u201d and on the changed tone from Washington.<\/p>\n
On a closer look, however, the speech does nothing to change the facts on the ground.<\/p>\n
The 1.5 Billion Moslems and Arabs did not need the reminder that in the Middle East, America’s concern for Israel’s security “is paramount,” as Obama said in his al-Arabiya broadcast of a few months ago:<\/p>\n
\u201c\u201cAmerica\u2019s strong bonds with Israel are well known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties, and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.<\/p>\n
Around the world, the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries, and Antisemitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust. Tomorrow, I will visit Buchenwald, which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich. Six million Jews were killed \u2013 more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless, ignorant, and hateful. Threatening Israel with destruction \u2013 or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews \u2013 is deeply wrong, and only serves to evoke in the minds of Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The above does not justify Israel\u2019s conduct and occupation.<\/p>\n
OK, necessary words within an American context, Arabs may concede. Arabs would even be able to embrace these words if Arabs were for once treated equally with Israelis, with justice, and according to international law. But that is not what Obama told Arabs.<\/p>\n
What does Mr. Obama demand from Israel?<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the same time, Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel\u2019s right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine\u2019s. The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements\u201d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This is an admission that the U.S. cannot guarantee that the settlements will be dismantled. Only “continued” settlement is condemned. Their is no reference to the Arab peace plan. He also avoided any specificity about how he will deliver on a Palestinian state and how viable that entity will be.<\/p>\n
The Palestinian side \u201cmust put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, and recognize Israel\u2019s right to exist. \u201c<\/p>\n
What does Israel have to do?<\/p>\n
Israel \u201cmust also live up to its obligations to ensure that Palestinians can live, and work, and develop their society.\u2019\u2019 There was no call for them to give up violence or to obey international law.<\/p>\n
As for Iran, \u201cIt is about preventing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that could lead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path.\u201d<\/p>\n
What does he say about Syria or other Arab occupied land?<\/p>\n
This subject was not even worth a mention. The Arab-Israeli conflict was essentially reduced to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.<\/p>\n
The U.S. renews the sanction on Syria. It then asks to send a delegation from Centcom to discuss Iraqi security. Yet, the President refuses to even mention Syria in his speech or offer a commitment to renewed peace talks on that front. Washington seems committed to cherry picking in Syria. Choosing to address the issues that benefit it while rejecting discussion of the issues of occupation that drive Syrian policy in the region.<\/p>\n
[END]<\/strong><\/p>\n
Ford Prefect said:<\/strong><\/p>\n
One can argue the merits or the shortcomings of the Obama\u2019s speech in Cairo endlessly. However, we need to also underscore the gesture of this speech in parallel to its content. The fact that an American president chose an Islamic capital to address the Muslim world is, in and of itself, a significant fact \u2013 one that underscores this administration\u2019s boldness and innovative thinking.<\/p>\n
Having said that, however, I wish he has used his speech to signify the importance of the Arab Israeli conflict and how this conflict is pitting two great civilizations against one another.<\/p>\n
Abstracting the conflict into fun-sized components of \u201csettlements\u201d vs. \u201cviolence\u201d is na\u00efve at best. As most in the West believe, if Hamas and HA would just stop their armed resistance, and if Israel would just stop its ever-expanding settlements, peace in the Middle East will suddenly happen by default. I wish it was that simple. And conveniently forgetting to mention Syria, god, bad, or indifferent shows that Foggy Bottom still doesn\u2019t get it.<\/p>\n
And one final observation: The hand-picked, by-invitation-only Mubarak cronies applauded heavily when Obama justly renounced torture and the closing of Guantanamo prison. How funny!<\/p>\n
[end]<\/strong><\/p>\n
Sami Moubayed on the speech<\/a>
\nCBS News<\/p>\nWhen asked to mention their favorite US presidents, three names usually come to the mind of ordinary Syrians: John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. As far as the Syrians are concerned, these three presidents were the ones to have pursued relative justice, in the Arab-Israeli Conflict.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Rime Allaf on al-Jazeera<\/a> and in the New York Times<\/a> on Obama’s speech.<\/p>\n
Syria to Relax Share Price Trading Band on Damascus Exchange<\/strong><\/p>\n
009-06-01, By Nadim Issa<\/p>\n
June 1 (Bloomberg) — The Syrian Commission on Financial Markets & Securities will relax the limit imposed on share price movements on the Damascus Stock Exchange this month, said Elias Haddad, deputy chairman of the Commission. \u201cWe are speeding up on this issue because we want to increase the demand on trading in the Damascus bourse and the Commission will meet in a few days to sort this out,\u201d Haddad said today by phone from Damascus. At the same time, the Commission will give international investors access to the exchange, said Haddad.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are also working on amending the corporate law to lower the nominal value of listed companies shares from 500 Syrian pounds to 100 or 50 Syrian pounds,\u201d Haddad said, adding that the change in corporate law will have to be ratified by government. Under current rules share prices are allowed to fluctuate by two percentage points before trading is halted.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n