Days before embarking on a visit to the Middle East, President Obama sat down with Arab-American groups including the American Task Force for Palestine, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the Arab American Institute and the American Federation of Ramallah Palestine.
“We are pleased to have shared with President Obama our recommendations for the vital message that he should convey to the Palestinian people,” the groups said in a joint statement.
“Today’s meeting was an important opportunity for Arab Americans to share our views, and continue to serve as a bridge between the U.S. and the Arab world. Our meeting underscored the president’s recognition of the importance of our community’s contributions to discussions of policy in the region. ”
Obama is scheduled to arrive in the Middle East on March 20 and his visit will include stops in Ramallah and Jordan.
“While the President is not going with any specific peace plan in hand, the president’s views (are that) it’s in the best interest of both parties, both Palestinians and the Israelis, to pursue a peace agreement,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Friday.
