IN AUGUST, I returned to Egypt, the country of my birth, for the first time since President Obama spoke in June at the University of Cairo. I discussed the president’s address with a veteran Egyptian diplomat, who described its impact as “historic.’’ Obama’s words were regarded as a momentous break from the past, spoken by an American president who respects Muslim faith and culture, and is optimistic about future relations with Muslim nations.
During that visit, I also got - literally - a taste of how the speech had gone down in the proverbial Arab Street, or at least in the streets of Cairo. The city’s markets were piled high with dates in preparation for Ramadan, which observant Muslims mark with daily fasts, often broken with a date at sunset. Different varieties of the fruit are named after popular and unpopular personalities, depending on quality, and priced accordingly. This year, in the Cairo markets, the “Obama date’’ was of the best quality and commanded the highest price.
Here was a hopeful - and sweet - response to the president’s overtures in Egypt. However, my friend spoke of a general sense that the next move too was up to Obama. I found this attitude profoundly unsatisfying. While Obama may be in a unique position to catalyze progress on the Arab-Israeli front, beyond that the impetus for change can only come from the Muslims themselves.
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5:29 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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