After Palestinian Statehood Bid, Where Do Mideast Talks Stand? Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In PBS - September 23, 2011 - 12:00am RAY SUAREZ: Now two assessments of the speeches and what's next from Ghaith Al-Omari, a former adviser to President Abbas, now executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine, and David Makovsky, director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Process at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and former executive editor of The Jerusalem Post. Well, Ghaith, earlier this week, the Obama administration tried to convince Mahmoud Abbas not to go ahead with the bid. Obviously, they didn't succeed. But why now and why this? » Read more

Commentary: Peace negotiations best for Mideast Media Mention of Ziad Asali In The Detroit News - September 26, 2011 - 12:00am The tailwind of the Arab Spring appears to be propelling the Palestinians toward their own political revolution. On Friday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas presented a resolution requesting the admission of an independent state of Palestine to the United Nations. Many have explored the wisdom of a Palestinian Unilateral Declaration of Independence, a diplomatic end-run that allows them to circumvent the negotiating table. If this is indeed the tactic chosen, there is one thing that must be made clear: both sides will suffer for this decision. » Read more

Congress Moves To Punish Palestinians, But Even Israel Objects Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In The Jewish Daily Forward - September 26, 2011 - 12:00am Washington — A congressional drive to punish the Palestinian Authority for its statehood bid by cutting American aid is being greeted with enthusiasm by lawmakers of both parties. But the White House is giving the move a cold shoulder, and even Israel itself and its strongest supporters have serious reservations. The legislation being discussed in Congress would cut all or part of the nearly $600 million annual aid package if Palestinians move ahead with their plan to seek statehood at the United Nations. » Read more

Netanyahu, Abbas Emerge Unscathed at UN Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In Bloomberg - September 26, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas emerged from their showdown at the United Nations buttressed domestically though no closer to peace talks. » Read more