Abbas: Obama Hasn’t Helped Mideast Peace Process

President Barack Obama just got a report card from Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and it’s not good. According to Abbas, Obama “is doing nothing for the peace process” between Israelis and Palestinians. Obama might do well to follow Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s lead when it comes to Middle East diplomacy, judging from Abbas’ more positive appraisal of the South American’s approach. –KA

Ha’aretz:

“For now he is doing nothing, but he has invited us to revive the peace process. I hope that in the future he can play a more important role,” Abbas said in an interview published Tuesday by the Argentine daily Clarin.

Instead, Abbas again called upon Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to take a more active role as mediator in the Middle East.

“He can do it, because he has good relations with the two parties in the conflict and I think he can help,” said Abbas, who has visited with Lula in recent days, along with separate visits from President Shimon Peres and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

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