Obama to Give Major Address to Islamic Capitol

NEW YORK, Dec 10 -- The Israel Policy Forum applauds President-elect Obama’s plan to give a “major address” in an Islamic capital soon after taking office, as reported in the Chicago Tribune.

“This step will dramatically demonstrate that President-elect Obama is serious about reinvigorating American diplomacy and repairing America’s image in the Muslim and Arab world. Both are critically important.” said Peter Joseph, president of Israel Policy Forum (IPF), which advocates for active American engagement in securing Middle East peace.

“We noted that Mr. Obama specifically listed ‘seeking a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians’ as a top foreign policy priority when he introduced his national security team, and we enthusiastically welcomed that statement,” Mr. Joseph continued. “An address by President Obama in an Islamic capital will be enormously helpful in this important effort.

“It could also point to the critical role the moderate Arab states must play in this effort, particularly by supporting Palestinian President Abbas and other moderate Palestinians who seek to negotiate a two-state solution with the Israelis, “ the IPF president said.  “The Palestinian officials IPF leaders met with in Ramallah recently told us they need this support.”

“Furthermore, Mr. Obama could focus much-needed attention on the Arab League Initiative, in which all 22 Arab states agreed to establish full normalized relations with Israel in exchange for the establishment of a Palestinian state in the 1967 territories, as negotiated with Israel,” Mr. Joseph said.

“Returning the United States to the role of honest broker in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will advance all of America's interests in the Middle East, including the security of Israel, and strengthen America's standing in the world."