July 16th, 2008

ATFP Joins With Groups Urging Travel Rights for Palestinian Students Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - July 15, 2008 - 12:00am Washington, DC, July 16 - The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) has joined with six other American organizations to urge Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to use her good offices to convince Israel to allow hundreds of Palestinian students in Gaza to travel to their universities around the world. The organizations sent a letter to Secretary Rice dated July 15 asking the Administration to help secure travel permission for hundreds of Palestinian students in Gaza who have been accepted in foreign universities but who are not being allowed to leave the territory by Israel. Read more

July 15th

ATFP Offers its Vision for a future Palestinian State Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - January 25, 2006 - 1:00am Washington, D.C., January 26 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) released its vision of what a future Palestinian state should look like, in a briefing at the Carnegie Endowment For International Peace in Washington, D.C. today. The briefing is part of a multi-pronged media campaign that includes publishing the "Vision for Palestine" document in Arabic and English in Mideast newspapers, a full-page New York Times advertisement and related op-eds. Attending today's briefing was on overflow crowd of diplomats, U.S. Read more

ATFP Reiterates Path of Peaceful Negotiation to Achieve Statehood Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - January 25, 2006 - 1:00am Washington, D.C., January 26 -- ATFP expressed satisfaction today with the Palestinian people's successful conducting of their elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC.) An estimated 78% of registered Palestinian voters exercised their democratic right to vote yesterday in an orderly and peaceful manner. Read more

ATFP and AAI Head Coalition of Arab American and Humanitarian Groups in Summit on Palestinian Aid Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - February 20, 2006 - 1:00am Washington, D.C., February 21 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) and the Arab American Institute (AAI) co-chaired a daylong summit of Arab American leaders and organizations in Washington, D.C. on Friday, February 17th to discuss the humanitarian and political consequences of suspending U.S. aid to the Palestinians and what can be done to inform the U.S. government about this issue. Read more

ATFP President Receives AACCESS Award Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - March 12, 2006 - 1:00am ATFP President Dr. Ziad Asali was awarded the 'Arab American of The Year Award' on March 11, 2006, by the Arab American Community Center for Economic And Social Services (AACCESS) in Ohio. The award recognized Dr. Asali 'In recognition of your devoted time and effort to the Arab American community and your pride in your Arab American heritage.' Read more

ATFP Announces Palestinian Humanitarian Fund Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - April 30, 2006 - 12:00am The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) has set aside a special emergency fund to collect donations for providing immediate humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. Conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza, have reached a crisis point. Read more

Joint ATFP-Woodrow Wilson Center Briefing Explores Next Steps in Arab-Israeli Peace Making Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - May 9, 2006 - 12:00am Washington, D.C., May 10 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars held a half-day conference today entitled "Politics and Diplomacy: Next Steps in Arab-Israeli Peacemaking." The conference featured two panels of Palestinian, Arab and Israeli former senior government officials in addition to a member of the Israeli media. The conference concluded with a keynote speech by H.R. H. Prince Turki al-Faisal, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States. Read more

Visiting Palestinian Leaders Urge US and Israeli PM Olmert to Restart Negotitations with Palestinians Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - May 10, 2006 - 12:00am Washington, D.C., May 11 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) held a briefing today in Washington, D.C. featuring three senior Palestinian leaders currently visiting the United States: Yasser Abed Rabbo, member of the Palestine Liberation Organization executive committee and former minister of communication; Nabil Amr, former minister of communication and parliamentary affairs; and Ziad Abu Amr, elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and former minister of culture. Read more

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