Dennis Ross steps down
Dennis Ross, a senior aide to President Obama on the Middle East, and a long time peace processor, has stepped down. Ross, a special assistant to the president, had initially pledged to work for Obama for two years, but extended his time at the White House by another year in light of the Arab Spring upheaval reshaping the Middle East, Carney said.Two other factors that might have played into Ross' decision to step down now: With Obama moving into campaign mode, no breakthroughs are likely in the next fourteen months, and Obama's open mic comments about Binyamin Netanyahu in France last Thursday might have made it uncomfortable for Ross - the most pro-Israel member of the White House staff - to continue working there.
His departure casts additional doubt over Obama's Middle East strategy, and follows the resignation in May of Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell.
Ross had been central to Obama's efforts to revive peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, dealt a blow last month when the Palestinians gained membership of the UN cultural agency UNESCO, something Obama had sought to prevent
"Obviously, there is still work to do but I promised my wife I would return to government for only two years and we both agreed it is time to act on my promise," Ross said in a brief resignation statement.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Dennis Ross, George Mitchell, Nicolas Sarkozy
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:40 AM
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