WASHINGTON (VOR) — As Secretary of State John Kerry presses Israel and Palestine to revive their long-awaited peace talks, Ambassador Maen Areikat, the chief representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization to the U.S., remains cautiously optimistic about the future of the people whom he represents. Areikat says last year’s vote in the United Nations General Assembly to recognize Palestine as a non-member observer state, gave the Palestine Authority the support needed to gain membership in international organizations, offering tools to fulfill the needs of the Palestinian people. Still, the greatest obstacle to achieving full statehood and peace in the region remains the relationship between Israel, the U.S. and Palestine and each country’s willingness to improve bilateral relations and resolve issues such as human rights abuses, settlements and more. Host Carmen Russell-Sluchansky spoke with Ambassador Maen Areikat, chief representative of the P.L.O. to the U.S., to discuss the latest in Palestinian issues. Produced by Nathan Frandino, Carmen Russell-Sluchansky Edited by Brett Fox