Obama top aide apologises to Arabs

That prompted an outcry from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which called on Rahm Emanuel, who is Jewish, to condemn the 8220;unacceptable smear.8221; On Thursday, Rahm Emanuel called the group8217;s president, Mary Rose Oakar, to apologize on behalf of his family.

8220;These are not the values upon which I was raised or those of my family,8221; the group quoted him as saying.

Oakar said the apology was accepted.

Emanuel spokesman Nick Papas confirmed the phone call and said Emanuel 8220;offered to meet with representatives of the Arab-American community at an appropriate time in the future.8221;