President Obama's push for a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict has given the Palestinians an historic opportunity to end their disastrous state of affairs.

Sunday morning in Jordan's capital Amman Pope Benedict 16th celebrated open air mass. Roman Catholics from across the Middle East attended the service. He is now ending his trip to Jordan and moving on to Israel and to the Palestinian territories.

On his first visit to a predominantly Islamic nation, Obama reached out to Arabs and Muslims by saying that the United States "is not and never will be at war with Islam."

President Obama and Secretary Clinton name special envoys to Afghanistan, Pakistan,and the Middle East at the U.S. Department of State.

As fighting continues in Gaza, a University of Michigan survey of neighboring Lebanon illuminates some of the values underlying the use of violence in the Middle East.

The origins of the mistrust between the West and many of the world's Muslims - and how to resolve it - are the focus of a new book called American Raj: Liberation or Domination? American author Eric Margolis, a veteran Middle East correspondent, foreign policy analyst and syndicated columnist, says it will take meaningful actions, not better public relations, to build new bridges between the West and the Muslim world.

Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai says Israel hopes the Gaza Strip ceasefire can be extended, despite the recent outbreak of violence in the Hamas-ruled territory. Vilnai said it looks like things are calming down.

From the former Soviet republics to the Middle East and Afghanistan, Barack Obama's election victory is seen as a major milestone in U.S. history and a chance to restore the United States' reputation around the world. Children show placards reading "Uncle Obama We Expect Peace From You."

Defense Minister and Labor Party leader of Israel Ehud Barak said Wednesday that it is possible that several large neighborhoods in east Jerusalem will become, in the context of a peace agreement, part of the capital of a future Palestinian state.

An Israeli diplomatic source says Israel is interested in continuing talks with Syria and that the legal issue surrounding the role of Yoram Turbowitz as negotatior will be resolved in the coming days. Turbovitz agreed to continue in his role as negotiator despite his resignation as chief of the Prime Minister's Office.

Bharatbook.com included a book that provides detailed information on the pharmaceutical companies in the Middle East and Africa. The pharma company profiles in the Middle East & Africa are discussed.

U.S. Republican Party presidential candidate John McCain has called for increased sanctions against Iran for its alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons.