Photo: US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signalled greater diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. Photo: KEVIN LAMARQUE/The AgeFrom The Age:
ON HIS third day in office, US President Barack Obama has dramatically shifted America's stance towards the Middle East conflict.
He has called on Israel to open its borders with Gaza to allow humanitarian aid and commerce to flow and said one of America's most talented negotiators would try to broker a more extensive peace in the troubled region.
Mr Obama also announced plans to close the contentious detention centre at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year and to ban all forms of "enhanced interrogation" used by the CIA, branding them torture and contrary to American values.
Read more ....
My Comment: The problem in the Middle East has always been the unwillingness from Islamic fundamentalists and their supporters to accept Israel as a viable state. Since this group represents the majority opinion in the region, President Obama can do all that he can to pressure Israel to make compromises, but Hamas, Hezbollah, the Muslim Brotherhoood, and all the rest .... on this fundamental point it is clear that will never agree to it.
President Obama and Sec. of State Clinton will try to work with the "moderates" .... but these moderates are few in number, and they do not have the support of the Arab street.