The View from Egypt: Obama Silence Speaks Louder Than Words - No Change in US Policy

Inter-Press Service News Agency - January 6, 2009 - With the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip now in its second week -- and as the Palestinian death toll approaches 600 -- U.S. president-elect Barack Obama has continued to remain silent. Obama's reticence, say Egyptian commentators, indicates that he will be no more even-handed on the issue of Palestine than preceding U.S. administrations.

"Obama's silence shows that he is just as biased towards Israel as (outgoing U.S. President George) Bush," Ibrahim Mansour, political analyst and managing editor-in-chief of independent daily Al-Dustour told IPS. "Like Bush, Obama's only role in the region will be to implement Israeli directives."....

Obama's overt support for Israel has led many Arab observers to despair of the notion of unbiased arbitration of the conflict by the U.S.

"Like his predecessors in the White House, Obama will never stand against Israel," Iglal Raafat, political science professor at Cairo University told IPS, echoing a common perception. "He might express his support for the so-called peace process, but only in so far as it benefits Israel."....