Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

A three-day conference was organized recently by the Alexandria Bibliotheca on initiatives in education, sciences and culture, to develop cooperation between the United States and Islamic countries as a means to foster dialogue between them, was disappointing.

 

The conference faced several regional and international challenges, mainly the Israeli rejection of all efforts to reach a peaceful settlement on the Palestinian cause.

Despite all efforts made to support dialogue between the two sides, clashes and the language of violence beat them

 

The clash started with the words by Chairman of Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Azīz al-Tuwījrī, in which he highlighted the Israeli inflexibility and the ongoing building of settlements in East Jerusalem.

 

“Improving the United States’ image in the Islamic World will not happen by its relations with Islamic countries, but with changing its policy toward the Islamic countries’ causes, mainly the Palestinian one,” al-Tuwījrī said.

 

Echoing the point made by ISESCO representative Muhammad Bin Sālih, that the Palestine issue remains the critical determinant in the relationship between the U.S. and Muslim communities around the world, the article gave President Obama a failing grade on that issue, and wryly noted that the "so-called need for dialogue dissolves when compared to everyday reality."

 

The second clash came from the Arab League, which its representatives enumerated frustrations with "engagement", including the lack of response from the White House to their proposed initiatives or request to collaborate on the Entrepreneurship Summit.

America, through its Ambassador to Egypt Margaret Scobey, expressed belief that education and culture is the main elements to improve relations between U.S. and the Islamic countries, while other intellectuals consider them as not enough.