In the 2008 Presidential election, President Obama received a clear mandate from America's voters - including 78% of American Jewish voters - to re-establish U.S. engagement and leadership in the Middle East policy arena.

In particular, he was given clear endorsement of his commitment to engage immediately in an effort to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace, to support Israeli-Syrian peace negotiations, and to adopt a more pragmatic approach toward Iran, including the support - where possible - of direct engagement with Teheran.

This is thus a moment of powerful promise and hope for all who care about Israel, peace, and stability in the Middle East. It is represents an end to the pattern of neglect, foot-dragging and erratic, half-hearted engagement that characterized the previous administration's approach. It also is an opportunity to restore our nation's standing worldwide and to leverage America's recovered credibility toward the kind of robust peace efforts that can finally deliver Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab peace.

The Israeli-Palestinian and the Arab-Israeli conflicts are not the source of all problems in the region. At the same time, there is a clear connection between these festering conflicts and developments in other countries in the region, including the growing strength of extremist, militant groups ready and willing to use terror against their own governments, the U.S., and Israel. These developments directly impact the U.S. and its interests and goals in the region, and they impact its allies in the region and around the world.

Today, it is undeniable that achieving Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab peace is a key U.S. national security interest and must be a central U.S. strategic priority. As the bipartisan, Congressionally-mandated Iraq Study Group observed: "The United States cannot achieve its goals in the Middle East unless it deals directly with the Arab-Israeli conflict and regional instability..."

Americans for Peace Now supports President Obama in carrying out his mandate in the Middle East, and will do everything possible to work with him to realize the long-cherished and long-denied goal of peace, security, and stability for Israel and all inhabitants of the region.