September 23rd, 2009

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

July 22nd

EXCLUSIVE: U.S., Israel at odds over 2003 settlements accord Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In The Washington Times - July 22, 2009 - 12:00am Israeli officials Tuesday accused the Obama administration of failing to abide by an agreement allowing settlement construction, but a key Israeli negotiator said the deal was never implemented. The unfinished negotiation between the administrations of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and President George W. Bush has contributed to rising tensions between the two allies since the Obama administration took office. » Read more

June 30th

Experts Voice New Hope for Solution to Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Media Mention of Ziad Asali In Voice of America - June 30, 2009 - 12:00am In the wake of U.S. President Barack Obama's June 4th speech to the Muslim world and the Israeli prime minister's recent acceptance of a conditional Palestinian state, hopes have risen for a resumption of talks aimed at resolving the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict. » Read more

June 22nd

The Obama World Order Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In New York Magazine - June 22, 2009 - 12:00am It’s a long-held piece of Washington conventional wisdom—and, unlike most long-held pieces of Washington conventional wisdom, this one actually happens to be true!—that Democratic presidents tend to be more interested in domestic policy, while Republicans like making foreign policy. » Read more

Tussle with Israel puts Obama credibility on the line, observers say Media Mention of ATFP In The Los Angeles Times - June 22, 2009 - 12:00am President Obama's public quarrel with Israel over the growth of Jewish settlements in the West Bank is developing into a test of the U.S. leader's international credibility, say foreign diplomats and other observers. Obama and his senior aides have insisted for weeks that the Jewish state completely halt the expansion of its settlements. But now, with U.S. and Israeli officials apparently close to an agreement on the issue, it is widely expected in Israel and the Arab world that the administration will give ground and support at least some growth in the 120 communities. » Read more

June 16th

Obama hails Netanyahu move Media Mention of Ziad Asali In The Washington Times - June 16, 2009 - 12:00am President Obama on Monday welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's acceptance of a future Palestinian state, saying it boosted prospects for new peace talks. But U.S. officials distanced the administration from conditions outlined by the Israeli leader in a speech Sunday. Mr. Obama said Mr. Netanyahu had demonstrated the "possibility we can restart serious talks." The president made his remarks after a White House meeting Monday afternoon with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. » Read more

June 15th

Obama’s Iran Policy to Focus on Human Rights, Not Election Media Mention of ATFP In The Washington Independent - June 15, 2009 - 12:00am As reports of political violence in Iran intensified after Friday’s fiercely disputed election, the Obama administration insisted that it would not interfere with the struggle for power between regime-backed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the thousands of demonstrators who contend the election was stolen. Administration officials, on and off the record, said that President Obama would offer support for human rights in Iran generally and would not back away from his diplomatic outreach to the longtime U.S. adversary, regardless of the ultimate outcome of the election. » Read more

June 11th

Pro-Palestinian Advocates Sense Winds of Change in Washington Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In The Jewish Daily Forward - June 11, 2009 - 12:00am Changes in America’s policy toward the Middle East conflict are sending positive vibrations throughout the small and struggling pro-Palestinian advocacy community. » Read more