UN Showdown Ushers in Critical a Period for U.S. Middle East Peace Efforts Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In Bloomberg - September 27, 2011 - 12:00am The Palestinians’ bid for statehood at the United Nations has shaken up Mideast peace efforts, fueling a sense of crisis among Israeli and Palestinian allies that the U.S. says can drive a return to direct peace talks. “We know that there’s a trust deficit that needs to be overcome,” Michael Hammer, acting assistant secretary of state for public affairs, said yesterday. The two sides “have an opportunity here that we hope they will seize.” » Read more