CMEP Network Conference Call
with Ori Nir

The Obama-Netanyahu Meeting and U.S. - Israel Relations

~Thursday, May 21, 2009 ~

LISTEN TO AUDIO OF CONFERENCE CALL

President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held their first meeting May 20 at the White House. Ori Nir, spokesman for Americans for Peace Now and former reporter for Haaretz and the Forward, dissected the meeting and what it means for U.S.-Israel relations and prospects for progress on Israeli-Palestinian peace.  Having recently returned from a trip to Israel, Nir discussed the relationship between the Netanyahu and Obama governments and the current climate in Israel. 

ABOUT CMEP NETWORK CONFERENCE CALLS: Churches for Middle East Peace offers occasional conference calls featuring prominent policy analysts and issue experts from the CMEP/church community and others who stand with CMEP in support of Middle East peace. The conference call speakers offer their perspectives and provide timely, informational updates on key developments in Washington and the region.

SPEAKER BIO: Ori Nir is the spokesman for Americans for Peace Now, a Jewish organization with the mission to help Israel and the Shalom Achshav movement to achieve a comprehensive political settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict consistent with Israel's long-term security needs and its Jewish and democratic values. Ori comes to APN from The Forward newspaper, where since 2002 he has been the Washington Bureau Chief for America's largest and most influential independent national Jewish weekly newspaper. Prior to his stint at The Forward, Ori worked for 16 years at Israel's leading daily newspaper, Ha'aretz, where he served as the Washington Bureau Chief, West Bank Correspondent, and Israeli-Arab's Affairs Correspondent. Ori's opinion and analysis articles have also been published by the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Baltimore Sun, and New York Newsday. His television appearances include PBS, CNN, ABC News, and CBS. Ori has a Master's degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor's degree in Middle Eastern history and Arabic literature from Jerusalem's Hebrew University. 

Background Reading

“The Common Goal is Peace,” Transcript of Press Conference Following President Obama Meeting with Israeli Prime Minister, White House Blog, May 18, 2009

“Netanyahu Arriving in Washington Bruised, Susceptible to Pressure,” Ori Nir, Peace Now Blog, May 15, 2009

"Emphasis Differs for Obama, Netanyahu," Scott Wilson, Washington Post, May 19, 2009

“Netanyahu caught between Obama, Israeli settlers”, Joshua Mitnick, The Christian Science Monitor, May 18, 2009

“Obama Presses Netanyahu over Two-State Plan,” BBC, May 18, 2009

“Netanyahu: US to Present New Plan,” Hilary Leila Krieger and Herb Keinon, Jerusalem Post, May 18, 2009

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