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August 19, 2009

Obama “Encouraged” on Mideast Peace
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President Obama hosted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the White
House Tuesday. Much of the meeting focused on Israel and the Occupied
Territories. Obama praised Israel for moving “in the right direction” on
freezing settlement activity.

President Obama: “If all sides are willing to move off of the rut that
we’re in currently, then I think there is an extraordinary opportunity
to make real progress. But we’re not there yet. I’m encouraged by some
of the things that I’m seeing on the ground.”

The Israeli government claims it hasn’t issued any new settlement
housing tenders since March. But the Israeli group Peace Now says Israel
is still building around 1,000 new homes in the occupied West Bank.



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