White House outreach official calls for support

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WASHINGTON (JTA) — The White House’s top outreach official urged Jewish and Arab leaders to change their communities’ "hearts and minds" about President Obama’s peace push.

Tina Tchen, who directs the Office of Public Engagement, addressed a joint session convened Sunday by the Arab American Institute and J Street, the dovish pro-Israel lobby.

"We need to build support" for Obama’s efforts to restart Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, Tchen said. "There are hearts and minds in the United States that need to be changed."

The Arab American Institute and J Street are running conferences this week in Washington.

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