Obsessed with Israel
An interview in the English version of Asharq Alawsat with Rashad Hussain, President Obama's special envoy to the Organization of Islamic Countries, makes it clear that Hussain and the Obama administration are obsessed with Israel. This is right from the beginning of the interview. Q) What is your strategy to heal the rift in relations between the people of the Islamic world and the United States of America?More from Jennifer Rubin here. By the way, does anyone believe that the Muslim who tried to blow up Times Square last week did so out of sympathy for the 'Palestinians'? Of course not! But don't let that stop the obsession with Israel!
A) We continue to work on a global level in this important region and in light of the political complexities brought about by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. We look forward to the culmination of the efforts exerted by the US administration to bring about peace in this part of the world by intensifying cooperation with Muslim people in all fields including health, education, science and technology. US President Barack Obama’s speech from Cairo was clear in drawing up the policy that will be followed by the US administration towards the Islamic world, and putting an end to the ongoing conflict over the issue of Palestine that has caused wide hostility among the Islamic people.
Q) How do you intend to impose your strategy to develop relations with the Islamic world?
A) By implementing the recommendations made in the speech by US President Obama in Cairo, which represents a clear strategy to promote relations with the Islamic world, as this speech covered all political, social, and economic aspects. We have already begun work to implement what was said in the speech, whether through political action to solve the Palestinian-Israel conflict through the efforts exerted by the Obama administration's Peace Envoy George Mitchell, and we will also promote health services such as combating polio in the Islamic world, and promoting educational programs and cultural exchange between the two sides.
Q) Do you think it will be easy to overcome the hostility in the Islamic world towards certain US policies, especially in light of the actions taken under the previous US administration?
A) We are concerned about this but we are determined to move forward, without looking to the past and the negative effects of this, in order to erase the hostile feelings caused by the administration of former President George W. Bush. There is now a suitable opportunity to overcome the past, and open a new page in relations between the US and the people in the Islamic region.
Q) Many Muslims are critical of bias US policies towards Israel. How can we reconcile what Obama said in his Cairo speech and the US political approach in the Middle East?
A) The United States does not operate solely according to its own interests, and it seeks to safeguard the interests of both the Palestinians and the Israelis, which has made it a top priority for us to engage in genuine peace negotiations between both sides. As you know, the US is committed to its role as an effective mediator in the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. We have not waited until the last minute to become involved in this; rather we did everything we could to urge the concerned parties to enter negotiations. President Obama [also] appointed George Mitchell Middle East Peace Envoy, and he appointed me as an envoy to promote US relations with the Islamic world, and we are all working to implement Obama's strategy in the Islamic world to achieve stability in this part of the world.
Q) Do you think the Israeli settlement building in Jerusalem complicates your mission to improve US relations with the Islamic world?
A) Of course, there are fears that any action or provocation will negatively affect feelings, and as a Muslim I know full well that the Al Aqsa Mosque was the first Qibla [direction in which Muslims pray] and is the third holiest site for Muslims and it is revered by Muslims. President Obama is committed to calming the situation in the city of Jerusalem, and finding solutions that are both acceptable to the Palestinians and the Israelis. There is also a clear position by the president to reject any settlement building in east Jerusalem, and there is a statement to this effect from the US administration, which has many ways to settle the conflict in the region that has lasted for 60 years. However, it is not easy for this to be settled overnight so we must bridge the differences between the conflicting parties. Over the last few days we have heard good news to the effect that indirect negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis have begun, so I think we are making progress in this regard, and we must not take a step backwards.
UPDATE THURSDAY 2:32 PM
Claiming that the transcript of the interview was inaccurate, the State Department has released its own transcript. In the new transcript Hussain does not bash George Bush, but the other issues that were raised in the original are equally or even more problematic.
More here.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:01 PM
2 Comments:
It won't work. And if one day Iran get's the bomb they will be creating another iron curtain to expell all from Isreal who is not of Isreal. comment.
Don't you know? All the problems of the Middle East are all the Jews' fault!
And that will probably be the US view as long as Obama is President.
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