Of all the news articles I've had the fortune to read in the past 48 hours (less than 15, if I had to guess), this one has probably been the best read: BBC News - Middle East - commoners' views about Obama. I think it's a good read because it is either enlightening or re-enlightening (which it is being dependent on you, of course). And in what sense is it (re-)enlightening? In the sense that it clearly, honestly portrays a smattering of the population which fits along all six points:
Zionist extremist
Stereotypical/Average Israeli
Moderate Israeli
Moderate Palestinian
Stereotypical/Average Palestinian
Intifada flag-bearer
We each have our biases on this world issue, and I definitely have mine; so why I liked the article was that it selected people from "the home team," so to speak, who I liked or who I detested; and it also selected people from "the away team" who I liked or who I detested. There was bigotry from both sides. There was amity from both sides. There was cautious optimism from the neutrals on both sides. Good for the BBC. Good for them for not doing what most Western news outlets have done for years (supporting the one team) or more recently (supporting the other), but instead neither lending nor taking away support from either of them. Just presenting it like it is, and with a broad, wide rainbow to boot. Two thumbs up, because it (hopefully) will get people who have only ever heard one side of the story, be they staunchly for one side or staunchly for the other, to give peace a chance.
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