Date: 04 / 06 / 2009 Time: 21:33
www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=38315

Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Authority said it considered US
President Barack Obama's speech in Cairo "a new and different American
beginning and a new message to the Israelis," while Hamas said the remarks
contained a number of good points.

PA presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeinah said in a statement that
"President Obama's readiness for partnership, listening, building confidence
and confronting tension" ought to be celebrated, and applauded the US
leader's remarks on Palestinian suffering.

He added that "the time has come to establish a Palestinian state," which he
called "the first basic step necessary to build a just and comprehensive
peace in the region."

Abu Rudeinah went on to say that "President Obama's speech is encouraging
beginnings that should be built on and we will be ready to go forward with
the peace process in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and the
national rights of the Palestinians, based on justice and equality."

Meanwhile, the Hamas movement hesitantly described Obama's speech as a
refreshing change, although "full of contradictions." Regardless, the
movement welcomed the speech, calling it complimentary and playing on
emotions, as well as focused on diplomacy above threats.

Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhum said that the speech was focused on
"improving America's image in front of the whole world, yet it was full of
contradictions, lacked policies and practical steps on the ground to curb
the [Israeli] assaults and to support the Palestinian right of sovereignty
on their land, end settlement and their suffering under the occupation."

He added that "Obama mentioned the popular support for Hamas but did not
talk about lifting its isolation and respecting its legitimacy," adding that
"he confused the facts when he described Hamas' defense of the Palestinians
as violence, while he did not talk about the real Holocaust and war crimes
that the Israeli army carried out in front of the whole world."

Barhoum noted that Obama's "repeated demands for Hamas to recognize Israel
and the conditions of the Quartet would be legitimizing the occupation,
giving it a cover to continue with its criminal policies against the
Palestinians." "Recognizing the conditions of the Quartet means approving
the righteousness of the policy of collective punishment, which the US
imposed on the Palestinians as a penalty for their democratic choice."

He noted that "Obama's demand for the Arabs to normalize ties with Israel
and to assist it is a frank call to reward the occupation for its crimes."

Regarding Obama's remarks on Jerusalem being a holy city for three faiths,
Barhoum said, "Jerusalem needs an American stand to stop Israeli policies
against it; recognizing the illegitimacy of the settlements [in East
Jerusalem] is a good thing but he needs to actually end settlement there."

The Hamas official concluded by saying, "We noticed that in his speech Obama
ignored the right of return of the Palestinian refugees to their homelands,
even though it is a legitimate right recognized under international law."