As expected, it has begun. Arab Paper: ‘Obama’s Historic Intifada’ Allows Islam to ‘Impose its Point of View on World’:

We have the largest wealth and could save the world from the crisis. If these resources are properly harnessed, we could impose our point of view and serve our cause… The conditions are now fulfilled for the Arabs use their wealth to obtain a U.S. promise favorable and correct historical mistakes committed in Palestine.

Hat tip: Jeremy

Memri reports on initial official Arab media response. What is it? Obama will change nothing.

Palling with dictarors"

But, just as when (untrue) rumours of actor Will Smith and footballer Thierry Henry converting to Islam spread round the Arab world like wildfire, the ascendancy of Obama – shorthand, rightly or wrongly, for the marginalised, the dispossessed, those who fall under the radar of"mainstream" globalised stereotypes about what power and success should look like – proves for many that, just for once, supremacy can flow the other way as well.

Jordan Islamists cautiously optimistic over Obama's election:

Amman- The Islamic Action Front (IAF), Jordan's largest political party, on Wednesday expressed guarded optimism over the election of Barak Obama as the next US president and said they considered his win an"apology" from the American people to the peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan."We welcome Obama's election and believe that his win represents a clear message inside as well as outside America," IAF Secretary General Zaki Bani Ershaid told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

"Obama's victory is also tantamount to an apology from the American people for the crimes committed by the outgoing Republican administration in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere," he added.

Ahmadinejad congratulates Obama. A Majlis member explains it thus:

A member of Majlis Presiding Board Hamid-Reza Haji-Babaei said here Thursday that the era of Zionists is ending.

"The election of Barack Obama as the next president of the United States indicates that Zionists are no longer able to carry out their own policies aimed at determining the fate of the world," the MP told IRNA.

Gulf Arabs hail election of ‘Muslim-linked’ Obama

Syria delighted with the election of the man they call Abu Hussein though they have long list of demands. (hat tip: Alex)

Judith Apter Klinghoffer - 11/7/2008

Klinghoffer hopes for the best and fears the worst. Jewish courtiers have always been a mixed blessing. You may wish to read about Rabbi Senior (http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?letter=S&;artid=474), adviser to Queeen Isabella who converted when his fellow Jews were evicted.
Klinghoffer also remembers a phone interview with Walt Rostow about 1967 which went as follows:
Judith: "How did you feel when it seems as if Israel is about to be eliminated and Johnson was doing nothing?"
Rostow: "I was a Socialist not a Zionist."
As you can read in my book, Rostow, by the way, advised Johnson not to meet with prominent Jews so that they will not have an opportunity to "pressure" him to stand by Israel.
What is important is Obama's strategic vision and that,at the moment, does not bode well to Israel or other American allies at the moment. That is the reason Will Marshall, president of the Progressive Policy Institute, argues in today's WSJ, that Obama needs a strong Foreign Policy.

Jonathan Dresner - 11/7/2008

I've already gotten one email from a member of my synagogue pointing out Emanuel's ancestry and pro-Israeli positions as a very, very good thing..... I don't know how Klinghoffer could spin that another way, though her patented "all Democrats are traitors to the Jews except DINOs like Lieberman" maneuver is quite potent.

Ralph E. Luker - 11/7/2008

Dr. Klinghoffer will undoubtedly see Obama's appointment of Rahm Emanuel as his Chief of Staff as further, confirming, evidence of Obama's anti- Israeli attitude and his anti-semitism.