For people around the world the inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States is a welcome change from a Bush administration that relied on military unilateralism to achieve its foreign policy aims. The implementation of “smart” power, a mix of diplomacy and military intervention, where dialogue is launched before missiles, opens the door for a new chapter in US and world history.
There is nowhere more in need of a change in US foreign policy than the Middle East. The War in Iraq has been a devastating blow to both the people of Iraq and the credibility of the United States and now the War on Gaza, in which over 1,300 Palestinians (400 children) were killed, and over 5,300 wounded (1,800 children), has focused the eyes of the world and the Palestinian people on Barack Obama. The question is how will he respond?
During my first month in Palestine, nearly all of my first encounters began with, “Where you from?” and I respond, “Amerika”, and they say “Bush bad!” or “Obama!”, which is accompanied by a huge smile and a thumbs up. Invariably, either phrase is followed by the other. While the contempt Palestinians have for George W. Bush and Condoleeza Rice is not surprising given the Bush administration’s consistent acquiescence to and support of Israel’s agenda, the amount of hope Palestinians have for Barack Obama is staggering.
The feeling on the street in Palestine is that Barack Obama and Palestinians have a shared history; he is a man who grew up as a middle class, black male, in a society where segregation was once legal and is now a de facto reality in the today’s urban communities. They hope Obama’s past will allow him to understand and empathize with the Palestinian people who live within an occupation that denies them basic human rights, and in the case of Gaza, denies them simply the right to live.
There is also a religious component to the Palestinian-Obama connection. Because Islam is an integral part of Palestinian society and a centerpiece of the Palestinian identity, their belief that Obama’s father was a Muslim (in actuality he was an atheist from a Muslim family) is an important thread connecting them with the new US president. Further, Barack Hussein Obama’s middle name clearly displays his Arab-Muslim lineage, which is very important in a Palestinian society where family heritage is a cultural foundation.
In Palestinian intellectual and political circles, the buzz surrounding the new Obama administration is more tempered, particularly given Obama’s appointments of Rahm Emanuel, a pro-Israel hardliner, as chief of staff, and Hillary Clinton, an ardent supporter of Israel, as Secretary of State. While, people are hopeful for a shift in US foreign policy they are not necessary optimistic that significant change is on the horizon. Much of this feeling comes from a series of Republican and Democratic administrations (from Ronald Reagan through George W. Bush) that have been unable to successfully mediate a resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, let alone understand or value the Palestinian narrative. Largely because of this history and the corresponding “special relationship” between the US and Israel, most believe the US administration will not enter the Middle East foray and make immediate policy changes, specifically in regards to the War on Gaza. The hope is that in the long-term, “smart” power will lead to honest and more even-handed mediation of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The hidden danger of the hope and optimism felt towards Barack Obama by the Palestinian populous is…….what will happen if there isn’t change? When people have nothing, they feel they have nothing to lose, which is the breeding ground for extremism and violence. Israel’s recent bombardment of Gaza, which went completely unchecked by the international community, has done much to sow seeds of hatred and radicalism and has placed even greater hope on the shoulders of President Obama. If a man Palestinians identify with and view as a last bastion of hope doesn’t save them, then where will they turn? In the end, let us all hope Obama is a man of actions, not just words.
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