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Determined to Reach a Common Objective

“We knew at the outset that the task would be difficult. We acknowledged that publicly and privately. We knew this would be a road with many bumps— and there have been many bumps—and that continues to this day. But we are not deterred. We are, to the contrary, determined more than ever to proceed to realize the common objective, which we all share, of a Middle East that is at peace with security and prosperity for the people of Israel, for Palestinians, and for all the people in the region. We will continue our efforts in that regard, undeterred and undaunted by the difficulties, the complexities or the bumps in the road.”—George Mitchell, special envoy for Middle East peace, remarks with Prime Minister Netanyahu, September 29, 2010

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The Road Forward on Middle East Peace

Event: October 1, 2009 - 12:00pm-1:00pm

Introduction:
Winnie Stachelberg, Senior Vice President for External Affairs, Center for American Progress

Featured speaker:
Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL)

Moderated by:
Moran Banai, U.S. Editor of Middle East Bulletin

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Heard on the Street

    • An Alignment of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Efforts
    • Heard on the Street | Oct 13, 2010
    • Tony Blair, Quartet representative and former British prime minister, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy 2010 Scholar-Statesman Award Dinner, remarks, October 5, 2010:

      “The problem is not that you couldn’t resolve borders or even very tricky issues like Jerusalem and refugees. You could. I think the problem is that you have to get an alignment between the reality on the ground and the prospect of peace. And by that I mean that, essentially, both sides have a reality-on-the-ground issue.

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    • Dual-Track Approach
    • Heard on the Street | Oct 5, 2010
    • Stuart Levey, under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Department of the Treasury, remarks, Center for Strategic and International Studies, September 20, 2010:

      “While the offer of engagement still stands, the United States and the international community have been forced to impose additional consequences on Iran. The objective of that pressure is to sharpen the choice for Iran’s leaders between integration with the international community, predicated on fulfilling their international obligations, and the hardship of further isolation. The increased sanctions

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    • Shared Responsibility
    • Heard on the Street | Sep 28, 2010
    • President Barack Obama, remarks, United Nations General Assembly, September 23, 2010:

      “Now, peace must be made by Israelis and Palestinians, but each of us has a responsibility to do our part as well. Those of us who are friends of Israel must understand that true security for the Jewish state requires an independent Palestine—one that allows the Palestinian people to live with dignity and opportunity. And those of us who are friends of the Palestinians must understand that the rights

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    • Shared Hopes, Interests and Challenges
    • Heard on the Street | Sep 21, 2010
    • Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, press conference with the Turkish press, Ankara, Turkey, September 4, 2010:

      “Turkey and the United States are not just allies. We are good friends and have been for decades.

      “We share many of the same hopes, many of the same interests and many of the same challenges.

      “Both nations have suffered and sacrificed at the hands of terror. I offer my deepest condolences for the loss of Turkish lives by the PKK

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    • An Integrated Strategy
    • Heard on the Street | Sep 14, 2010
    • Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, “Remarks on United States Foreign Policy,” Council on Foreign Relations, September 8, 2010:

      “We in the Obama Administration view development as a strategic, economic, and moral imperative. It is central to advancing American interests—as central as diplomacy and defense. Our approach is not, however, development for development’s sake; it is an integrated strategy for solving problems.”

      “Look at the work to build institutions and spur economic development in the Palestinian territories … The United States invests

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    • An Evolving Relationship
    • Heard on the Street | Aug 10, 2010
    • James F. Jeffrey, U.S. ambassador to Iraq designate, former principal deputy assistant secretary of state for the Near East, senior adviser to the Secretary of State for Iraq, U.S. deputy chief of mission and U.S. chargé d’affaires in Iraq; testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, July 20, 2010:

      “There will be ongoing military cooperation as our relationship with Iraq evolves. For the time being, Iraqi security forces still require certain assistance with logistics and meeting some other operational

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    • Finding a Path Forward Together
    • Heard on the Street | Aug 3, 2010
    • Senator John Kerry (D-MA), chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, nomination hearing for U.S. ambassadors to Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and Turkey, July 20, 2010:

      “Turkey is an important ally with strong governing institutions, a dynamic economy, and a vibrant civil society in a region where such assets are rare. Today, Turkey is making important contributions in Iraq and in Afghanistan as a member of NATO, and we are grateful for their support. We‘re all aware that Turkey has recently begun asserting

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    • Concerns Remain, But Improvements Are Significant
    • Heard on the Street | Jul 27, 2010
    • Ike Skelton, chairman, House Armed Services Committee, statement, July 26, 2010:

      “These leaked documents, while troubling, appear to support what I was asserting for years: the war in Afghanistan was not going well, and we needed a real strategy for success. For nearly a decade under the previous administration, our brave war fighters were under-resourced and lacked the direction of a clear strategy. Under the new counterinsurgency strategy implemented earlier this year, we now have the pieces in place

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    • Helping Israel Seize the Opportunity for Peace
    • Heard on the Street | Jul 20, 2010
    • Andrew J. Shapiro, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, remarks, Brookings Saban Center for Middle East Policy, July 16, 2010:

      “As Secretary Clinton has often said, the status quo is unsustainable. Without a comprehensive regional peace, the Middle East will never unlock its full potential, and Israel will never be truly secure.

      “The dynamics of ideology, technology, and demography in the region mean that this continuing conflict poses serious challenges to Israel’s long-term security and its future as a Jewish

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    • Israeli Security Requires a More Effective Policy
    • Heard on the Street | Jun 15, 2010
    • Senator John Kerry (D-MA), chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, interview with This Week, June 6, 2010:

      “Israel has every right in the world to make certain that weapons are not being smuggled in after the thousands of rockets that have been fired on it from Gaza. And Israel has every right in the world, as recognized by the international community—because it is not just Israel conducting this blockade; it is Israel and Egypt. So you begin that Israel has

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