George Mitchell is Special Envoy for Middle East Peace. -Visit
Middle East Digest
The "Middle East Digest" is a collection of excerpts from the U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefings that are related to U.S. foreign policy interests in the Middle East.
Iran Sanctions Legislation
Assistant Secretary Crowley (June 11): "We see this as important legislation, an opportunity at the national level to build on UN Security Council Resolution 1929." Full Text»
Iraqi Government Formation
Assistant Secretary Crowley (June 11): "Assistant Secretary Jeff Feltman will be returning to Baghdad to review developments in the country, including the status of government formation." Full Text»
President Mahmoud Abbas' Visit
Assistant Secretary Crowley (June 11): "The president shared some ideas on how to expand access for people and goods through the land border with Israel while preserving Israel’s security interests, and we pledged to continue ongoing discussions with Israelis." Full Text»
Special Advisor for Nonproliferation and Arms Control Robert J. Einhorn to Serve as U.S. Coordinator for Iran and North Korea Sanctions (June 10)
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that Robert J. Einhorn, Special Advisor for Nonproliferation and Arms Control, will serve as the U.S. coordinator for the implementation of sanctions related to Iran and North Korea. Full Text»
Palestine Investment Conference Generates $655M in Pledges, Grants and Initiatives for Economic Development (June 5)
Arab business leaders and members of the international community attended the Palestine Investment Conference (PIC) June 2-3 in Bethlehem. The U.S. Presidential Delegation was led by George Mitchell, Special Envoy for Middle East Peace. Full Text»
UN Resolution on Flotilla Incident
Assistant Secretary Crowley (June 2): "I would call attention in the resolution that it actually condemned the attack by Israeli forces before Israel or anyone else has had the opportunity to fairly evaluate the facts." Full Text» Video»
Situation in Israel and Gaza
Secretary Clinton (June 1): "Turkey and Israel are both good friends of the United States, and we are working with both to deal with the aftermath of this tragic incident." Full Text» Video»
Certification of Iraqi Election Results
Secretary Clinton (June 1): "With the election results officially certified, we call on Iraq's political leaders to move forward without delay to form an inclusive and representative government that will work on behalf of the Iraqi people." Full Text»
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The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA), headed by Assistant Secretary Jeffrey Feltman, deals with U.S. foreign policy and U.S. diplomatic relations with Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Regional policy issues that NEA handles include Iraq, Middle East peace, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, and political and economic reform. -Clickable Map
President Obama (June 9): "Obviously there is a lot of work that remains to be done so that we can create a two-state solution in the Middle East in which we have an Israel that is secure and fully accepted by its neighbors, and a Palestinian people that have their own state, self-determination, and the ability to chart their own destiny." Full Text» Remarks by the President on UN Security Council Resolution on Iran Sanctions
President Obama (June 9): "Today, the United Nations Security Council voted overwhelmingly to sanction Iran for its continued failure to live up to its obligations. This resolution will put in place the toughest sanctions ever faced by the Iranian government, and it sends an unmistakable message about the international community’s commitment to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons." Full Text
Assessing the Strength of Hizballah
Assistant Secretary Feltman (June 8): "Hizballah’s persistence as a well-armed terrorist group within Lebanon, as well as its robust relationships with Iran and Syria, and the transfer of increasingly sophisticated missiles and rockets to Hizballah, threaten the interests of the United States, Lebanon, and our partners in the region." Full Text»
United States Contributes $20 Million to Relief Effort for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon (May 14)
U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michele Sison announced on May 12, 2010, that the United States is in the process of contributing $20 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to support reconstruction and emergency relief at Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in Lebanon. More»
