ON THE PATH TO
DIPLOMACY
In an interview broadcast on Tuesday on the major
Arab-language network, Al-Arabiya, President Barack Obama pledged his role as a
bridge builder between America
and the Muslim world. For many Muslims in this country and abroad, his offer to
listen -- and listen early in his presidency -- is a welcome change to the
status quo. The world responded very positively to President Obama's gesture to
gather people and solve problems with mutual interest and respect.
"My job is to communicate to the American people that
the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live
their lives and see their children live better lives," the President said
in the interview. He added, "My job to the Muslim world is to communicate
that the Americans are not your enemy."
That Obama's first presidential interview was with a major
Arab network and that it was a substantive discussion about repairing the
broken relationship with the Middle East and
the larger Muslim world speaks volumes about the seriousness with which this
Administration is seeking to make amends and lead others in ushering in an era
of peace.
Foremost on the minds of millions of Americans and Muslims
is how the U.S. will respond
to the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza,
as well as the larger, yet-unanswered question of reviving the
Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Though Muslim Americans are optimistic that
the country has a president who is more understanding of the Muslim world, they
must remember to take ownership of the change they seek, for two reasons:
first, to shape the discourse of which they are the subjects; in other words,
to speak for themselves instead of allowing others to do so on their behalf;
and second, to authenticate the movement toward Middle East peace from the
ground up, ensuring that support for policy change at the grassroots level can
withstand future leadership change in Washington.
The movement for Middle East policy change emerged in
strength during Israel's
three-week offensive against Gaza
and shows no sign of stopping. The pleas for humanitarian aid, calls for
congressional lobbying days, and the countless media pieces that have
questioned Israel's
disproportionate attacks on civilian infrastructure have helped bolster the movement
and usher in a new tone on this issue.
America
and American Muslims are faced with an opportunity to create the change they
envision. President Obama has made the Palestinian-Israeli issue a top priority
for America,
unlike President Bush who did not direct his advisors to engage on the issue
with any urgency until late in his tenure. The stakes are high at this juncture
of history, but our efforts -- past, present, and future -- are not in vain. At
a time when America's highest elected official has declared his willingness to
listen and is asking for the country's input, let us all push ourselves to
capture the moment and be our own best advocates.
[CONTACT: Government Relations Director Safiya Ghori,
202-547-7701, safiya@mpac.org]
