Al Jazeera reports Obama’s comments appalled many Palestinians who see occupied East Jerusalem as part of a future Palestinian state. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said, “This is the worst thing to happen to us since 1967…He has given ammunition to extremists across the region.” Here in this country, independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader criticized Obama for not mentioning the humanitarian disaster in Gaza caused by the Israeli blockade. Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri also criticized Obama’s speech.

Sami Abu Zuhri: “These statements assure that there is a total agreement between the two American parties, the Democratic and the Republican, on support for the Israeli occupation at the expense of the rights of Arabs and Palestinian interests. And these statements slash any hope in any change in the American foreign policy toward the Arab-Israeli conflict.”