September 12th

Obama and Abbas: From Speed Dial to Not Talking Media Mention of Ziad Asali In The New York Times - September 12, 2011 - 12:00am WASHINGTON — Among the very first foreign leaders President Obama called after entering the Oval Office on Jan. 21, 2009, was the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. The last time the two men spoke was in February, when Mr. Obama failed, in an awkward, 55-minute phone conversation, to persuade Mr. Abbas not to go to the United Nations to condemn Israel for building Jewish settlements. » Read more

September 8th

Palestinians Seeking Statehood at UN May Get Same Rights as Pope Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In Bloomberg - September 8, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas won’t walk away from the United Nations General Assembly this month with the sought-after statehood. More likely, he’ll get parity with the world’s smallest state led by Pope Benedict XVI. Support for the upgrade in Palestinian status at the UN from “entity” to “non-member state” is likely if the matter is brought to a vote in the 193-member assembly, where a two- thirds majority, or 129 votes, is required. » Read more