Obama called Shimaa Abdelfadeel and Hebba Aref to personally apologize for the actions of two volunteers who asked that the women not sit in view of the television cameras behind the podium at Joe Louis Arena on June 16.

"I’m satisfied with the apology," Aref told InFocus. "Something wrong happened, it was addressed, and Sen. Obama apologized for it. So the incident has been resolved, and now we’re ready to move forward."

Abdelfadeel and Aref were among 20,000 supporters who gathered to see the Democratic presidential hopeful when the groups they were with were separately invited by Obama campaign volunteers to sit behind the podium. But Aref said the volunteers told members of both parties in separate discussions that women wearing hijabs, the traditional Muslim headscarves, were not included in the invitation and could not sit behind the podium.

Aref, a 25-year-old lawyer, said a member of her group was told by a volunteer that she could not invite Aref because of "a sensitive political climate."

Obama spokesman Bill Burton issued a statement saying such actions are "not the policy of the campaign."

"It is offensive and counter to Obama’s commitment to bring Americans together and simply not the kind of campaign we run. We sincerely apologize for this behavior," the statement read.

Aref said she replied by thanking Burton, but requested Obama apologize directly to her and Abdelfadeel, as well as invitations to sit behind him at a future campaign event. Presidential campaigns routinely invite audience members they believe will enhance the image their candidate wants to convey on TV to stand behind the candidate at rallies.

Aref said she was grateful that the group she was with at the rally, which included her brother, Sharif, as well as non-Muslim colleagues of his, declined the invitation to take seats behind Obama after she was refused.

"Is that really the ‘hope and change’ we’re looking for from our presidential candidate?" Sharif Aref told InFocus prior to Obama’s apology. "This incident undermines his entire message."

Aref said although the incident has been addressed, "it is now time for society to look at the bigger and deeper issues of why this all happened to begin with."

"This could’ve happened at a McCain rally, it could have happened anywhere. It has nothing to do with Sen. Obama and his campaign," she said. "It has to do with the negative attitudes society has toward Muslims, and until those attitudes are addressed and improved, instances such as what happened to Shimaa and I will keep happening over and over, and they do happen every day."

Associated Press Writer Jeff Karoub contributed to this report.