ADL: Speech ‘groundbreaking and honest’ — but not honest enough

The Anti-Defamation League is calling President Obama’s speech "groundbreaking and honest," but feels he also missed some opportunities to put the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in proper historical context for the Muslim world.

The group praised Obama in a statement for broaching issues that had never really been addressed to the Arab world before now, but said he did not go quite far enough.

For example, "while he made strong statements against anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, it should have been made clear that Israel’s right to statehood is not a result of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust. We are disappointed that the President found the need to balance the suffering of the Jewish people in a genocide to the suffering of the Palestinian people resulting from Arab wars."

He also failed to point out that "six Arab nations attacked Israel from day one and the occupation of Palestinian land was a product of Israel’s wars of self-defense."

In an interview with JTA, Foxman emphasized that while Israel has "roots in the tragic history" of the Jewish people, it is also rooted in the "aspiration of the Jewish people to be like any other people and have a right to a homeland" — something the president didn’t talk about.

That’s particularly important in the Muslim world, he noted, because of the mythology in the region that they are "paying the price" for the Holocaust.

"It was a good speech, good-intentioned," said Foxman. "He wants to do the right thing, wants to change the environment but there’s disappointment he didn’t go the whole way. You have to tell the whole truth."

Foxman added that he was not happy with the Iran portion of the speech. "It was very weak," he said, noting that the words "we will not accept a nuclear Iran" were not heard.

The ADL’s statement concluded, "We are willing to give the President’s approach a chance to work and we are waiting to hear a response from the moderate Arab states. It will be interesting to see how the Muslim world reacts to the speech."

The ADL’s full statement is after the jump:

ADL: OBAMA’S SPEECH TO MUSLIM WORLD IS ‘GROUNDBREAKING,’ BUT MISSES OPPORTUNITIES ON THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT
 
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today reacted to President Barack Obama’s speech to the Arab world in Cairo, calling it "groundbreaking and honest" in speaking to the Muslim people. However, the League said the President missed an opportunity to put into historical context the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and expressed concern about how his message ultimately would be received across the Muslim world.
 
Glen S. Lewy, ADL National Chair, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director issued the following statement:

President Obama’s speech to the Muslim world in Cairo was groundbreaking and honest, touching on many important issues — human rights, education, democracy, the need to deal with Islamic extremists — with candor.  He issued a clarion call for recalibrating America’s relationship with the Muslim world through constructive
outreach and dialogue. Speaking directly to the Muslim people, he broached issues that have never really been addressed to the Arab world before now. We share the President’s genuine quest for respect, tolerance and peace.
 
Regarding the Israelis and Palestinians, it would have been important to hear the President put the conflict into its proper historical perspective — six Arab nations attacked Israel from day one and the occupation of Palestinian land was a product of Israel’s wars of self-defense. While strongly reiterating the importance of America’s relationship with the State of Israel and articulating Israel’s right to exist, President Obama missed the opportunity to address the misperceptions in the Arab world and to make clear that the Palestinians would have had a state had they accepted the United Nations resolution in 1948.
 
While he made strong statements against anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, it should have been made clear that Israel’s right to statehood is not a result of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust. We are disappointed that the President found the need to balance the suffering of the Jewish people in a genocide to the suffering of the Palestinian people resulting from Arab wars.
 
We are willing to give the President’s approach a chance to work and we are waiting to hear a response from the moderate Arab states. It will be interesting to see how the Muslim world reacts to the speech.