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Name
Jabin
- Bangladesh
Profession
Question
As-salamu`alykum, Obama is not condemning the Zionist, what's the reason ? Is it a must for Christians to support Jews for religious ground ?
Answer
Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatu.
Thanks for joining the dialogue.
I think that your question is like many questions asked by Muslims, who expect change from Obaama in every aspect of American politics.
The truth is, we do not know exactly how Obama feels about the whole conflict at the current moment. I think the fact that he didn't come out strongly in support of Israel is a very important sign that he is trying to be balanced.
The easiest thing for him to do politically in the US would be to stand with Israel at this time, but he is not doing that, and that is a signal to me that he does not want to continue George Bush's policies.
I don't think it has anything to do with religion at all.
Thank you.
Name
Fahd al-mallal
-
Profession
Question
Why did Obama take that long to respond to the situation on Gaza if he was very quick to comment on the terrorist attacks on Mumbai and the economic crisis?
Answer
This is a good question Fahd.
America is going through an economic crisis now that cannot wait for the new president to take office, so everyone is looking to see what the future will be like, and that requires Obama to act now.
The reality in America is that responsible politicians know that it is against US interests for the world to perceive US foreign policy is being anything but clear.
If Obama were to comment on this subject - the most complicated foreign policy subject in the world - there would be unintended consequences that could hurt him when he starts his diplomatic effort.
As to the Mumbai, I think was not a battle between two sides, it was a one time terrorist attack. It was not politically risky for him to condemn it.
Thanks for the question.
Name
Mona Haidar
- Australia
Profession
Question
What is Obama's stance on the Palestinian issue in general and Hamas?
Answer
Based on previous statements made by Obama, he is in support of the US fully engaging as an honest broker in this process.
I think that from day one, he will surprise the world with the intensity of US engagement.
However the president, no matter how powerful he is, is not a king or dictator, so he does not walk alone on foreign policy matters. With Hilary Clinton as secretary of State, and with a solidly pro-Israel Congress that controls all government funding, Obama will have to walk carefully so as not to be undermined by domestic political forces.
Most important, Obama has Palestinian friends from his past, and he has been exposed to the Palestinian narrative of the conflict from very influential scholars on the subject years before he decided to run for president. I think this will have an impact on this policy.
Name
Majid Hassan
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Do you think Obama's remarks on the Gaza massacre is enough? To say that you are "concerned" over the deaths on both sides while the international community is waiting for a firm stance and immediate intervention? And how would Haaretz magazine consider that as a yellow card for Israel?
Answer
People have to look at Obama's remarks in the context of American politics.
For Obama to simply say that we was concerned with civilian deaths on both sides without elaborating is a real source of concern for Israel and its backers because it MAY signal the end of a blatantly one-sided era of American policy.
This does not mean that Obama won't be tough on Hamas when he gets into office, because I think he will be. He just will not be ideologically or emotionally attached to Israel the way Bush is and that will allow him to pursue the US national interest.
Name
Rashed Assaf
- South Africa
Profession
Question
Some analysts say that the reason Obama was silent is the safest position from the political perspective, meaning that both supporting Palestinians or Israelis would have put him under fire from the very beginning. Others say he does not want upset Israel and they keep bringing his comments in Israel before being elected the president-elect of the US? What do you think?
Answer
Last summer Obama visited the Israeli city of Sderot, which has been the main target of Hamas rocket fire, and he expressed sympathy with the people there saying that if his daughters were threatened constantly by rockets, he'd want to stop it.
The Israelis like to use his comments to suggest that he supports what they are doing now, but as I said earlier, I think that his silence is a strong indication that while he may support Israel's right to defend itself, he does not approve of this war on Gaza and the humanitarian toll it is taking.
Name
Khaled
- Canada
Profession
student
Question
Some people say Obama is not concerned about foreign policy in as much as he concentrating on economic crisis facing the United States at the moment, and that could be the reason behind his "silence" on Gaza? However, the magnitude and the scale of the Israeli operation was perceived internationally as something that receives a strong stance especially from Israel. Do you think Obama's agenda towards the Middle East will not be as different from how it was at Bush's administration?
Answer
Obama has said himself that despite the major economic crisis facing the US, that "we have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time," meaning that the US cannot ignore the world around it as it struggles with domestic issues.
What we can read from Obama's actions thus far is that he is assembling what he believes to be the best team possible to deal with all issues concerning the US simultaneously.
I think that every US president knows that the Palestine issue is the source of a great deal of resentment against the US, not only in the Muslim World, but elsewhere too.
The difference with Obama is his lack of attachment to either side, combined with his relative political independence means that he will be able to be more engaged as an honest broker.
He doesn't need the Muslim-American vote to win the next election, and he doesn't need the Jewish-American vote either. He will win or lose the next election not based on his foreign policy, but based on how he handles the economic crisis. This gives him cover to act more boldly than other presidents have been willing to act.
Name
Aisha
-
Profession
Question
You said Obama has Palestinian friends from the past and that he listened to the Palestinian narrative of the story. Any famous ones that we know?
Answer
Having grown up in Chicago myself, I know of Obama's interaction with the Arab and Muslim community there, which was very positive.
The biggest influence on Obama, and it is something that was used against him by the Zionists during the election, was Obama's relationship with his colleague from the University of Chicago, Dr. Rashid Khalidi. Dr. Khalidi is one of the world's leading experts on the Palestinian issue (and is currently teaching at Columbia University).
I once attended a major speech by the late Edward Said at the University of Chicago 10 years ago. Obama was there - a guest of Khalidi.
Anyone who actually heard Said speak, even just once, was exposed to more of the Palestinian narrative than if he watched television news in the US for a lifetime.
Name
Zaman
-
Profession
Question
Obama is very vague and somewhat contradicting himself when it comes to Palestinian issue. He declared before elections that he is against the Palestinian suffering in Gaza and he talks about peace negotiations, but on the other hand he talks about Israel's right to self-defense and isolating Hamas from the peace negotiations the same way like Bush. How do you explain that contradictory approach?
Answer
You cannot take what a candidate says to be a full indication of what his policy would be when he is present.
No matter who is in office in the US, Hamas will always be viewed as a terrorist organization so long as they attack civilians and do not accept Israel's right to exist.
At the same time, I don't think that he can ignore the political strength of Hamas among the Palestinian public.
Things are changing so much in Palestine, that it is politically foolish to articulate a policy months before you are ready to follow that policy. Things could change even between now and inauguration day (January 20th), so we'll all just have to wait and see what Obama intends to do.
Name
Sumya
-
Profession
Question
Is Western media talking about the same "silence" Obama is taking towards the Gaza holocaust or they are praising it?
Answer
Well, I can talk at least about the American media, and as you may know, newspapers and television stations are for the most part all independent and owned by corporations, so each might have their own opinion or approach on the subject.
Journalists have tried from day one to get Obama and his team to comment about Gaza, and he continually said that he will not comment because the US only has "one president at one time," and that he would not want to say anything to undermine the current president's handling of the crisis.
But even when he said that he was "deeply concerned" by the civilian deaths, it was reported heavily, and various journalists had various interpretations of what that meant.
Name
Raafat
-
Profession
Question
Do you think American policy will change under Obama's leadership? What type of shift is it expected to take?
Answer
Well it can't get much worse, that's for sure.
I think that we will see a great improvement in US foreign policy under the Obama administration. However, I caution that this all not all happen overnight.
Politics is not always adapt to sudden change.
What's more, only Allah Almighty knows the future, so there could arise new crises that change the equation, not just for Obama, but for everyone.
We might have a war in Europe if Russia continues to try to reestablish its influence.
India and Pakistan may be at war, Allah forbid.
Israel might attack Iran.
All of these would have major implications for world affairs.
Name
Ibrahim
-
Profession
doctor
Question
Some people say Obama's comments in Israel were part of his tactics used in the elections and do not necessarily reflect his policy, but one thing I don't understand is: how is he calling for negotiations and dialogues with Syria and even Iran while at the same time is adamant to isolating Hamas from the negotiating table?
Answer
Well, I don't think that he is "adamant" about isolating Hamas as perhaps convincing Hamas to change its way. Everyone has attempted to isolate Hamas and they have failed because Hamas is no longer a resistance group, but it is an electoral force.
Still, Hamas is different from Syria and Iran in that it is a non-state actor that can offer the US little in and of itself.
Besides, let us be frank, how can anyone negotiate with the Palestinians when we ourselves are divided. The split between Fatah and Hamas and the West Bank and Gaza has done untold damage to the Palestinian cause, and there will not be movement on Palestinian rights until the Palestinians can operate politically as one body, with a government and a loyal opposition, just like in other countries.
Name
Noor
-
Profession
Question
How is the media coverage on Gaza in general, aside from Fox and other liars?
Answer
There is surprisingly a lot of coverage about this issue. Many live shots and up to the minute reporting on the general situation.
Journalists on the ground though are very frustrated due to the fact that Israel has banned them from entering Gaza. Any coverage that they air from inside Gaza is second hand.
I have to say that Muslim-Americans have done a good job getting the Palestinian perspective put forward, despite the circumstances on the ground, and that has gained coverage.
Let me just say too that Muslim-American charities have raised a lot of money to provide medical supplies and food into Gaza. Donating charity is a lot better in my view than slogans and rhetoric.
If anyone is interesting in really helping the people of Gaza, please visit the website of LIFE for Relief and Development at www.lifeusa.org and make a donation for the Gaza Emergency Fund.
Name
Naman Siddiqi
-
Profession
Question
Obama always said he is for change, dialogue and democracy. Big titles awaiting to be translated on the ground. How is Democratic to Obama and others to give people the right to vote and choose their leadership, and then punish them for their democratic choice? How is point handled in the media and among double-faced politicians?
Answer
The issue is raised, but not as much in the US as in other parts of the world. Part of the problem is that the American public in general is very uninformed about world affairs.
Because of this reality, the media does not cover foreign affairs as much. They are trying to sell newspapers and commercials, that is there business, so they will spend more time discussing the issues that Americans are most interested in. International news is in the middle to the bottom of their interests.
Name
Editor
-
Profession
Question
-
Answer
Finally, we would like to thank Raeed Tayeh for taking the time to answer the questions of Islamonline viewers today, and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue. We encourage our readers to join us in upcoming sessions.
