Fatah, Hamas pick Abbas to head new joint government

The rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas announced Monday they had agreed that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will head an interim unity government that will prepare for new elections, ending a prolonged stalemate over how to mend their bitter rift. (more…)

Abbas Takes Palestinian Statehood on the Road

How long will it take the United Nations Security Council to answer the Palestinian application for membership in the global organization? “Technical procedures require about a month,” Mahmoud Abbas replies when the question comes up in Strasbourg, (more…)

Abbas declares ‘Palestinian Spring’

President Mahmoud Abbas received a hero’s welcome Sunday from thousands of cheering, flag-waving Palestinians, having made a bid for United Nations recognition that appears destined to fail but has allowed him to finally step out of the shadow of his iconic predecessor Yasser Arafat. (more…)

Palestinians take to streets to cheer on UN bid

Thousands of jubilant Palestinians thronged around outdoor screens in town squares across the West Bank on Friday to see their president submit his historic request for recognition of a state of Palestine to the United Nations. (more…)

Defiant Abbas Disappointed in Obama, Still Pursues UN Membership

When Mahmoud Abbas walks to the podium of the General Assembly today to ask for United Nations acceptance of Palestine for membership, he knows his bid cannot succeed. He’s going ahead anyway. (more…)

Obama to meet Abbas and Netanyahu over Palestinian UN bid

US President Barack Obama will urge his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas to drop a bid for UN recognition of statehood later on Wednesday.

Mr Obama will also meet Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu amid frantic diplomacy aimed at averting a crisis. (more…)

President Obama to Renew Muslim Outreach

President Barack Obama is preparing a fresh outreach to the Muslim world in coming days, senior U.S. officials say, one that will ask those in the Middle East and beyond to reject Islamic militancy in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death and embrace a new era of relations with the U.S. (more…)

Palestinian cabinet quits, what next for Abbas? Q/A

The Palestinian cabinet resigned on Monday and President Mahmoud Abbas asked Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to form a new government, apparently jolted by political upheaval in Egypt. (more…)

Clinton in Egypt for renewed Mideast peace talks

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will continue an attempt to broker peace in the Middle East on Tuesday when she and special envoy George Mitchell meet leaders from Israel and the Palestinian Authority in Egypt.

The negotiations involving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas (more…)

Analysis: Obama to try hand at Mideast peacemaking

We’ve been here before and if history is a guide, we’ll be here again.