On July 20th, I was invited by the Department of Justice to deliver the closing remarks at a conference organized to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Civil Rights Bill, here are some excerpts from my remarks)

In 1991, as part of its overall approach to post-Gulf War peace-making, the Administration of George H. W. Bush secured an Arab agreement to suspend their secondary boycott against companies doing business with Israel, in return for an Israeli commitment to freeze settlements. 

During the 2008 election there was a television ad featuring a late night phone call on the White House hot line. “It’s 3:00 am,” the narrator said, “there’s a phone in the White House and it’s ringing, something is happening in the world…who do you want answering the phone?” 

I am just returning from the Middle East, where, in the wake of President Obama’s Cairo speech, the victory of the March 14th Coalition in Lebanon, and the return of Senator George Mitchell to the region, some “brave” souls are allowing themselves to feel a bit hopeful. I say “brave” because, while there is widespread admiration for Barack Obama and appreciation for his spoken word, daring to have confidence in any US President or to believe that peace may be possible requires a “leap of faith.”

Following on the heels of his meetings with a number of Middle East leaders, President Barack Obama is en route to Egypt where, on June 4th, he will deliver a much anticipated speech to the Muslim world.

One hundred days do not make a Presidency. But that didn’t stop the media circus that unfolded last week. Major networks and newspapers designed “one hundred day logos,” created “scorecards,” and devoted unending coverage to an evaluation of the President’s performance.

In the weeks leading up to the Supreme Court decision ending the 2000 election, my brother, John Zogby, polled Democrats and Republicans, asking each whether or not they would respect the outcome of the contest and view as “legitimate” the presidency of either George W. Bush or Al Gore.

The Obamas' European Odyssey was a success – despite the predictable complaints of some US critics. The President and First Lady took the continent by storm, helping to rebuild America’s partnerships and restore America's image after several troubled years of decline.

Two major stories, prominently featured in the Washington Post and the NewYork Times last Sunday, dealt with the Bush Administration’s use of torture. When combined, they raised several important issues.

On the day after St. Patrick’s Day, a panel was convened on Capitol Hill to discuss the lessons learned from the Irish peace process, and reflect on their applicability to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Titled, “From Belfast to Jerusalem,” the panel brought together: EU Ambassador to Washington, former Irish Prime Minister, John Bruton; Sarah Brophy, a former assistant to President Clinton; Irish Times’ Washington Bureau Chief, Denis Staunton; and Daniel Levy, a Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation.

While supporters of a two-state solution continue to insist that Israel freeze settlement construction in the West Bank, there is something quite maddening about this entire enterprise.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent Middle East trip was striking, by any measure.  Despite grumbling by some in the Arab media for what they derided as her “excessive caution,” or claiming that she merely echoed the policies of the previous administration – some going so far as to mock her as “Condi Clinton” – her overall performance was significant and substantial.