U.S. President Barack Obama told an Arabic television audience Tuesday that Americans are "not your enemy" and pledged to improve dialogue with the Muslim world.

Obama, who spoke to the Dubai-based cable channel al-Arabiya, said he hopes to "get engaged right away" in Middle East issues, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy," Obama told the Saudi-owned news channel during his first television interview since he took office last Tuesday.

"What we want to do is listen, set aside some of the preconceptions that have existed over the last several years and I think if we do that, there is the possibility at least of some progress."

Dialogue with Muslim nations is important, Obama said.

"We can have legitimate disagreements but still be respectful. I cannot respect terrorist organizations that harm innocent civilians and we will hunt them down," he said. "But to the broader Muslim world, what we are going to be offering is a hand of friendship."

He offered a similar message during his inaugural address, telling Muslims the U.S. seeks "a new way forward based on mutual interest and mutual respect."

His new Mideast envoy, Senator George Mitchell, is already in the region for a visit that will take him to Egypt, Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. One of his first tasks is to strengthen the tentative ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip.

Obama repeated his commitment to Israel's right to defend itself, but suggested both Israelis and Palestinians face some tough choices.

"I do believe that the moment is ripe for both sides to realize that the path that they are on is one that is not going to result in prosperity and security for their people," he said, calling for a contiguous Palestinian state that allows internal freedom of movement and can trade with neighbouring countries.

Former U.S. president George W. Bush gave several interviews to Al-Arabiya during his time in office, but the wars he launched in Iraq and Afghanistan prompted a massive backlash against the U.S. in the Muslim world.

The channel is seen by some in Washington as more balanced in its coverage than its Qatar-funded rival Al-Jazeera, which the previous White House administration complained had an anti-American bias.

With files from the Associated Press