Obama’s Historic Speech at the United Nations

The speech that President Barack Obama delivered during the current regular session of the United Nations can at the very least be described as courageous, especially as it occurred in the midst of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and in the face of the Israeli prime minister’s continued refusal to extend the settlement freeze.

Perhaps the most important part of this speech was Obama’s welcome of the Palestinian state’s admission into the United Nations by the next session. This welcome corresponds to President Obama’s view of the two-state solution, for which he has advocated ceaselessly since taking office at the start of 2009. Similarly, he has remained steadfast and has not been influenced by Israel’s many attempts to outmaneuver his demand to freeze all settlement activity in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

It will be recalled to the American president that one of the results of his address in Cairo last June was that Netanyahu felt compelled to announce his acceptance of a Palestinian state about a month later, and even though he placed incapacitating conditions on this acceptance, it’s certain that the United States and the international community reject them and that events will overcome them.

Obama’s address, which Palestinians welcomed and respected as an embodiment of his support for a just peace, called seriously for Israel and its government to stop settlement activity and continue the peace process without the use of underhanded tactics, because a just peace is the only guarantee for the security of the people of the region — not the continued occupation, settlement and denial of legitimate national rights for the Palestinian people.

The element of courageousness in this speech is well illustrated by the American president’s fidelity to his position despite the domestic political environment in the United States and the approach of the midterm Congressional elections in November. Historical experience has shown that presidents who appear committed to their foreign policy positions have a greater chance of winning elections than those who change their positions in accordance with opinion polls, which in many cases may not be accurate.

The Palestinian people, as they welcome Obama’s historic speech, are hoping that the speech will make an impact on decision makers in Israel, for there is no longer anyone in the world who stands behind Israel’s settlement policy. Even the United States, Israel’s sole strategic ally, is dissatisfied with these policies. This is has been made clear by the present American administration’s position and specifically by President Obama’s speech.

The Palestinians share the president’s optimism regarding the establishment of the Palestinian state and the possibility of it joining the U.N. as an independent state in the course of a single year. Now the ball is, as always, in Israel’s court. Israel’s leaders must seize this excellent opportunity — to waste it would go against the interest of the region as a whole and certainly against Israel’s interests. If it wants to end its international isolation and co-exist peacefully in the region on the basis of mutual respect, they must acknowledge the Palestinians’ legitimate rights and abandon of the use of force in favor of the mutual understanding, stability and prosperity that everyone deserves.