June 4th

Rival Messages as Obama Lands in the Mideast Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In The New York Times - June 4, 2009 - 12:00am Aiming to repair the American relationship with the Muslim world, President Obama was greeted on Wednesday with reminders of the vast gulfs his Cairo speech must bridge, as voices as disparate as Al Qaeda’s and the Israeli government’s competed to shape how Mr. Obama’s message would be heard. » Read more

Muslims Will Judge Obama by Actions More Than Words Media Mention of Ziad Asali In The New York Times - June 4, 2009 - 12:00am It is too soon to tell whether President Obama’s 55-minute speech to the Muslim world from Cairo will be the balm to America’s broken relationship with Islam that White House officials hope. Some early signs are promising — and not just that several times someone in Mr. Obama’s audience in the domed hall yelled out, “I love you!” » Read more

June 3rd

With Speech in Egypt, Obama Calculates Risk of Alienating Israel Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In Fox News - June 3, 2009 - 12:00am As President Obama prepares to depart for the Middle East to promote improved U.S. relations with Muslim nations, he has reaffirmed Iran's right to develop nuclear energy and met with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. The president is not headed to Israel on his five-day tour, one of the most important trips of his fledgling presidency. Instead, he will arrive in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and deliver a speech at Cairo University in Egypt on Thursday. He then travels to France and Germany for D-Day commemorations. » Read more

June 2nd

Israeli Minister's Visit Aims To Calm Settlements Dispute Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In The Washington Post - June 2, 2009 - 12:00am Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak began a round of meetings with top U.S. officials yesterday in a bid to head off an increasingly sharp dispute between the United States and Israel over the expansion of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territory. » Read more

June 1st

U.S. Weighs Tactics on Israeli Settlement Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In The New York Times - June 1, 2009 - 12:00am WASHINGTON — As President Obama prepares to head to the Middle East this week, administration officials are debating how to toughen their stance against any expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The measures under discussion — all largely symbolic — include stepping back from America’s near-uniform support for Israel in the United Nations if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel does not agree to a settlement freeze, administration officials said. » Read more