«I JUST READ EVERYTHING»

Among the long list of problems that cloud American relations with the Islamic world, none is more troubling in the Muslim streets and halls of power than U.S. ties to Israel and massive support for the Jewish state in the heart of the Arab Middle East.
On that, Obama gave no ground, declaring U.S. bonds with Israel "unbreakable."But as he presses Netanyahu for concessions, Obama has to be looking over his shoulder toward the powerful Israeli lobby in the United States and the many deeply conservative Christian organizations that back Israeli policy without question. Both can make big political trouble for an American president who tips too far from Israel. Obama appears willing to gamble that pressure on Netanyahu will not produce damaging blowback, especially with more than three years left before the next U.S. presidential election.And the president knows that he can make little headway with Muslims unless he wades deeply and early into attempts to broker an Israeli peace with the Palestinians, which probably depends on a deal with the larger Arab world. His address acknowledged Palestinian grievances historical and modern, and the ripple effect they have among fellow Arabs. He used the word "occupation," as other U.S. presidents sometimes have, even though it rankles some of Israel's vocal supporters. But Obama began his lengthy discussion of the Arab-Israeli conflict with a succinct and emotional defense of Israel's right to exist and the Jewish state's roots in the Holocaust. He said he plans to visit the Buchenwald death camp in Germany on Friday.
He struck a humble tone, one that is culturally important to a Muslim audience. But recalling the terrorist attacks in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001, he said flatly, "America can never tolerate violence by extremists."

-Huffington Post
June 4 2009