Admiring Arabs cheered President Barack Obama's speech in Cairo, lapping up his quotations from the Quran and his greetings expressed in Arabic.

they loved his emphasis on the Palestinians and their right to statehood and they welcomed Obama's strong demand for Israel to halt building in set dements on occupied Arab land.

But many also felt the speech was short on specifics and they were dubious about its long term impact -- demanding action to back up his words

nils is all just words. The US policy cannot be changed by just one man," Mohammed, an I Egyptian in Dubai, told AFP

"I don't think that an enthusiastic man

like Obama will change the lasting bias towards Israel. But whoever addresses us by saying Assalamu Alaykum (an Islamic greeting meaning peace be upon you), we respond likewise.”

Alawi Ati Salman, 50, a fruit and vegetable seller in Baghdad, said he was impressed by the tone of Obama's speech.

He spoke about forgiveness and Islam, and this is a good thing. If he is respecting us, than we will respect him. I Ie spoke good things."

Mukhaimar Abu Saada, political science professor Ai-Azhar University in Gaza, said Obama's address was "a historic speech from several points of view."

The fact that president Obama mentioned the two-state solution to put an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is very important, especially as President Obama quoted verses from the Koran on four occasions," he said.

The speech opened new horizons, accordingto Kamal Habib, former Islamic Jihad leader in Egypt "He spoke about the rights of Muslims in the United States, that's a very, very important topic. I hope he has the strength to follow up."

"This speech should provide al-Qaeda with an opportunity to seek dialogue with die West, to give him (Obama) a chance to resolve the problems in Afghanistan and elsewhere," Habib said.

Karim Makdisi, political science professor at American University of Beirut, admitted: "it impressed me more than I thought (it would)."