No consensus in Middle East on Obama speech

A rebel listens to President Obama's speech on TV

(CNN) -- Voices around the Middle East and North Africa gave mixed grades to Barack Obama's address on the region Thursday, with Libyan rebels calling it "good enough" and a Palestinian official calling it a "half-full glass."

In Benghazi, the heart of the Libyan revolt against longtime strongman Moammar Gadhafi, a rebel leader pronounced Obama's speech in support of democratic movements across the region "good enough."

"Overall, the speech was positive for Libya," said Jalal el-Gallal, a spokesman for the National Transitional Council. Rebel leaders were pleased to hear Obama call their provisional government "legitimate and credible," remarks that raised hopes of eventual U.S. recognition as the country's rightful government -- and accompanying aid.

"Hopefully, they will recognize our aspirations," el-Gallal said. "They will recognize us fully, and we can bring this chapter to an end."

In his Washington speech, Obama pledged U.S. support for reform efforts across the Middle East and North Africa, warning leaders facing popular upheavals that "strategies of oppression and strategies of diversion will not work anymore." It comes amid the Arab Spring, popular revolts that have driven two regional autocrats from power and fueled calls for reform or open revolts in several other countries.

He also pledged additional economic aid for longtime U.S. ally Egypt and said the United States and European Union would push for expanded trade with the region.

That was good news for Riad Greiss, who watched Obama's address from a Cairo coffeehouse. Greiss said tourism -- one of the pillars of Egypt's economy -- has dried up since the pro-democracy protests that drove Hosni Mubarak from power after three decades.