Arabs and Muslims react to Obama's upcoming speech

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The speech in Cairo follows Obama's inauguration, when he promised Muslims he would "seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect". Let's have a look at how Arabs and Muslims are reacting to his planned speech.

Mohamed Abdel Salam, Political Analyst of Cairo Al-ahram Strategic Studies, said, "I think he will try to achieve the goal of gaining or having the hearts and the minds of the people of the Arab world. He will focus on some kind of good understanding between each other; he will show good intention to the Arab world; he will try to explain what has been happening in the past and he will try to go beyond the Bush administration."

Ehab Juhabi, Palestinian at Qalandiya Checkpoint, said, "Nothing will be changed because I think the Americans would keep supporting the Israeli state forever with money and with weapon and ammunition and all the equipment that they need. And I don't think that Obama would be able to re-establish the relations with Arab countries."

Tehran resident Mehran Meskini said, "We can't expect him to give good comments about the Islamic world or to have a serious discussion on a complete and comprehensive friendship. But since he has come to power with the slogan of change, this intention should be somehow tangible in the tone of his speech, his remarks and sentences he uses."