The controversial initiative is designed to entrench Israeli "ownership" of East Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in the Six Day War of 1967 and subsequently annexed – a move that has not been recognised by the international community.

Opponents of the Syrian regime gathered on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast on Tuesday for a conference aimed at overcoming their differences and bolstering protesters who have endured a bloody crackdown under President Bashar Assad. The meeting has drawn Syrian exiles living in the West and the Middle East, as well as some activists from inside Syria.

We are living in the 21st century, and the motor of the day is soft power. And those who would be able to use soft power with full gear would be able to secure their leading position in the Middle East, in Northern Africa and other volatile regions.

CPD Director Philip Seib was recently quoted in an article in The Layalina Review concerning President Obama’s new vision for American foreign policy in the Middle East.

...how is this new world to be built? The guiding model is to be found in Eastern Europe and the colour revolutions. In short, by using American soft power and public diplomacy to reshape the socio-political scene in the region, the aim is to transform the people's revolutions into America's revolutions.

Obama's Middle East speech last week laid out a policy of support for the growth of democracy and peace in the area... to support self-determination, equal opportunity, democracy, political and civil rights and religious tolerance.. It is not obvious that the Turkish government could make the same declarations.

McHale's most valuable contribution may have been to structurally reinforce public diplomacy within the State Department...she took a big step toward increasing the centrality of public diplomacy in American foreign policy.

Why did Mr Obama risk stirring such bad blood between his administration and Israel’s, to no apparent diplomatic gain and at a time when the pro-Israeli lobby in America, already in pre-election mode, still wields so much clout?