Summary of Editorials from the Hebrew Press
(Israel Government Press Office)
Yediot Aharonot notes the "almost Messianic" expectations in Egypt ahead of US President Barack Obama's speech tomorrow but cautions that "Obama's decision to put the Arab world at the head of his list of foreign policy priorities was not born out of Messianic aspirations but out of compulsion," because "America needs the Arab rulers and Arab public opinion as never before" in order to extricate itself from Iraq. The author asserts that "Obama is walking a fine line," and adds that "Because he needs the Arab rulers, he must lower the tone regarding democracy and human rights." Regarding possible effects of the speech, the paper says that "The question is what will happen in Washington in the future; will a plan really be formulated that will be able to unite all of the anti-Iranian and pro-American forces in the region, including Israel, in one coalition that will aspire to regional stability – to halt Iran and save Iraq, Afghanistan and a regional Israeli-Arab peace? Only the Messiah could achieve all of these goals in one term."
Yisrael Hayom declares that "While the US demands that Israel honor previous governments' commitments, including in regard to the 'Roadmap', which calls for the establishment of 'two states for two peoples,' America itself is not doing so vis-à-vis its previous acceptance of the settlements' natural growth." The author notes US President Obama's comment yesterday to a French newspaper that t
he US is one of the world's largest Muslim nations and avers: "His words are true demographically. But the need to say so now attests to the mood of the current administration. In November 2008, Barack Obama was elected to the White House. In June 2009, Barack Hussein Obama is serving there. Those who refrained from noting his full name during the elections must now understand the significance and perhaps express belated regret. It is not that America is Muslim; neither is Obama. But a problematic mood is coming from there."