July 15th

ATFP Deplores Passage Today of H.R. 4681 as Collective Punishment of Palestinians and Contrary to US Interests Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - May 22, 2006 - 12:00am Washington, D.C., May 23 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today deplored the passage of H.R. 4681, the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill was passed by a vote of 361 to 37, with 9 representatives answering "present." Opposition to the bill with its existing provisions included Arab, Palestinian, Jewish and Christian American groups, and the Bush administration. Read more

ATFP Notes Significant Improvement in Senate Version of House Bill on Palestinian Aid Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - June 22, 2006 - 12:00am Washington, D.C., June 23 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today noted the significant improvement in the Senate version of the bill concerning aid to the Palestinians. The Senate unanimously approved S. 2370 today, otherwise known as the Palestinian Anti-Terrorist Act of 2006. ATFP had earlier deplored the passage on May 23, 2006 of H.R.4681, the House of Representatives companion version of this legislation, which the Bush administration had opposed. The Senate bill must now be reconciled with the House version. Read more

ATFP Voices Extreme Concern at Targeting of Palestinian Civilian Infrrastructure in Gaza Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - June 29, 2006 - 12:00am Washington, D.C., June 30 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today voiced extreme concern at the targeting of vital Palestinian civilian infrastructure in Gaza by the Israeli army. The most damaging of this targeting was the destruction of the six transformers at Gaza's only power station on June 28, which is owned by a U.S. company and whose repair expense will be borne by U.S. taxpayers. Read more

ATFP Urge US Intervention to Stem Spiraling Gaza Violence Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - July 6, 2006 - 12:00am Washington, D.C., July 7 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today urged the Bush administration to exert all efforts to address the spiraling violence in Gaza that led yesterday to the deaths of twenty-two Palestinians, many of them civilians and children. Read more

ATFP Calls for Diplomatic Resolution of Growing Middle East Crisis Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - July 11, 2006 - 12:00am The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today called on all parties to take the steps necessary to defuse the escalating tensions in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Lebanon. ATFP warned that the region is heading towards an extremely dangerous conflagration that would not be in the interest of any of the involved states, organizations and communities. Read more

ATFP Donates $45,000 For Emergency Humanitarian Relief in Palestine Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - August 1, 2006 - 12:00am Washington, D.C., August 2, 2006 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today announced the donation of $45,000 for Palestinian humanitarian relief, with grants going to Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem, St. Luke's Hospital in Nablus, and the Washington, D.C.-based United Palestinian Appeal (UPA). ATFP launched an appeal in May 2006 to collect donations for urgent humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. ATFP will donate all funds it raises from the Palestinian Humanitarian Appeal to medical facilities in the West Bank and Gaza. Read more

Governor Sununu, Other Leading Palestinian Americans to be Honored at ATFP Inaugural Gala Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - August 7, 2006 - 12:00am Washington, D.C., August 8, 2006 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today announced the holding of its Inaugural Gala in Washington, DC, to honor the contributions of Palestinian Americans to American society.  The Annual Gala will recognize the accomplishments of leading Palestinian Americans in the fields of government service, commerce and industry, and scholarship.  Honorees include former White House Chief of Staff and Governor of New Hampshire John Sununu.  Senator John Sununu will present the first ATFP Award for Outstanding Contribution Read more

ATFP Condemns Burning of Chrisitan Churches in Palestinian Occupied Territories Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - September 17, 2006 - 12:00am Washington, D.C., September 18 – The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) condemned today the acts of arson committed over the weekend against churches in the occupied West Bank. Unknown perpetrators firebombed at least 5 churches over the weekend in Nablus, Tulkarem and Tubas in the northern West Bank. The attacks occurred in the context of widespread protests over the weekend across the Muslim world over remarks made about Islam by Pope Benedict XVI. Read more

ATFP President Asali Meets with Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh on Palestinian Travel Restrictions Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - November 9, 2006 - 1:00am Washington, D.C., November 10 - American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) president Dr. Ziad Asali met in Jerusalem today with Israeli deputy minister of defense Dr. Ehpraim Sneh to discuss the issue of recent travel and visa restrictions against Palestinian Americans traveling to and from the occupied territories. The meeting followed an earlier meeting the same day between Dr. Sneh and Israeli interior minister Ronnie Baron at which an agreement in principle was reached on the issue. Dr. Asali has been holding meetings in Jerusalem and Ramallah for the last week with a wide Read more

Panel Discusses the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Report and the Prospects for Arab-Israeli Peace Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - December 19, 2006 - 1:00am Washington, D.C., December 20 -- Yesterday a panel discussion cosponsored by the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) discussed the prospects for implementing the Iraq Study Group's recommendations for renewed negotiations to resolve outstanding issues, such as ending the occupation, between Israel and the Palestinian people, as well as with Syria and Lebanon. The event, entitled "After the Iraq Study Group Report: Possibilities For A Comprehensive Arab-Israeli Peace On All Fronts," was cosponsored by the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP). Read more