September 23rd

President Obama enters the Mideast fray Media Mention of Ziad Asali In The Los Angeles Times - September 23, 2009 - 12:00am President Obama, exasperated by the disappointing course of Mideast peace efforts, urged Israelis and Palestinians on Tuesday to reapply themselves, even though eight months of intensive American engagement has failed to return the parties to the negotiating table. Obama met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at a New York hotel ahead of a United Nations session, stepping personally into the process and offering an unusually blunt message. » Read more

White House Pivots in Mideast Peace Bid Media Mention of Ziad Asali In The New York Times - September 23, 2009 - 12:00am President Obama, who has met immovable resistance from Israel over his demand for a full freeze on settlements in the West Bank, is largely setting that issue aside as a first step toward restarting Middle East peace talks. » Read more

September 9th

Talks go on despite W. Bank construction Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In The Jerusalem Post - September 9, 2009 - 12:00am Despite angry statements from the Palestinians and the Arab world, and condemnations from the US and the EU, Israel's announcement Monday of new housing starts in the settlements did not derail the diplomatic process; US envoy George Mitchell is expected here Saturday night, and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is scheduled to fly to Egypt for talks on Sunday. "The settlements aren't the be-all, end-all" of American policy efforts, one State Department official told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. "Our ultimate goal [is] to create the conditions for negotiations." » Read more