Palestinian Leader Says Time ‘Not Ripe’ for Mideast Peace Talks
Media Mention of ATFP In Bloomberg - October 21, 2011 - 12:00am

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said there is little chance for a prompt renewal of peace negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis that the Obama administration seeks. “My own assessment” is that “conditions are not ripe at this juncture for a meaningful resumption of talks,” Fayyad told a Washington audience yesterday. He made his remarks as the U.S. and its allies in the so- called Quartet -- the United Nations, the European Union and Russia -- are trying to restart talks between the two sides to head off a Palestinian push for statehood recognition at the UN.

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Freij cited for her philanthropy work
Media Mention of ATFP In ACCESS - October 14, 2011 - 12:00am

ACCESS Deputy Executive Director Maha Freij will be honored this month in Washington by the American Task Force for Palestine (ATFP) for the key role she played in raising funds to create the nation’s only Arab American National Museum. Each year, ATFP honors the contributions of Palestinian Americans who have enriched their community and provided great service or unique achievement in the United States. Freij will receive the ATFP Award for Distinguished Service in Philanthropy on Oct. 19 at the organization’s sixth annual gala at the Ritz Carlton in Washington.

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Freij to be honored for distinguished service in philanthropy
Media Mention of ATFP In The Arab American News - October 14, 2011 - 12:00am

Deputy Executive Director of ACCESS Maha Freij will be honored this month in Washington by the American Task Force for Palestine (ATFP) for the key role she played in raising funds to create the nation's only Arab American National Museum.

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U.S. hopes to not use veto to aid Israel
Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In The Washington Times - September 28, 2011 - 12:00am

The Palestinians have yet to lock down a nine-vote majority in the U.N. Security Council for their statehood bid, raising U.S. hopes that it could be spared the embarrassment of using its veto power in defense of an increasingly isolated Israel. Amid indications that Colombia and the Security Council’s four EU member states will abstain from any vote, attention has focused on Nigeria, Gabon and Bosnia, which have offered few signals about how they will vote.

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UN Showdown Ushers in Critical a Period for U.S. Middle East Peace Efforts
Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In Bloomberg - September 27, 2011 - 12:00am

The Palestinians’ bid for statehood at the United Nations has shaken up Mideast peace efforts, fueling a sense of crisis among Israeli and Palestinian allies that the U.S. says can drive a return to direct peace talks. “We know that there’s a trust deficit that needs to be overcome,” Michael Hammer, acting assistant secretary of state for public affairs, said yesterday. The two sides “have an opportunity here that we hope they will seize.”

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Netanyahu, Abbas Emerge Unscathed at UN
Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In Bloomberg - September 26, 2011 - 12:00am

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas emerged from their showdown at the United Nations buttressed domestically though no closer to peace talks.

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Congress Moves To Punish Palestinians, But Even Israel Objects
Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In The Jewish Daily Forward - September 26, 2011 - 12:00am

Washington — A congressional drive to punish the Palestinian Authority for its statehood bid by cutting American aid is being greeted with enthusiasm by lawmakers of both parties. But the White House is giving the move a cold shoulder, and even Israel itself and its strongest supporters have serious reservations. The legislation being discussed in Congress would cut all or part of the nearly $600 million annual aid package if Palestinians move ahead with their plan to seek statehood at the United Nations.

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Commentary: Peace negotiations best for Mideast
Media Mention of Ziad Asali In The Detroit News - September 26, 2011 - 12:00am

The tailwind of the Arab Spring appears to be propelling the Palestinians toward their own political revolution. On Friday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas presented a resolution requesting the admission of an independent state of Palestine to the United Nations. Many have explored the wisdom of a Palestinian Unilateral Declaration of Independence, a diplomatic end-run that allows them to circumvent the negotiating table. If this is indeed the tactic chosen, there is one thing that must be made clear: both sides will suffer for this decision.

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U.S. Makes Security Preparations for After Palestinian Bid at UN
Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In Bloomberg - September 23, 2011 - 12:00am

The U.S. has laid the groundwork for maintaining security in the aftermath of the Palestinian bid for statehood at the UN, including the possibility of violence. The effort includes discussions with Gulf countries, planning with Israeli and Palestinian security forces, and aid to ensure the Palestinian Authority can pay its personnel. The U.S. has made clear its intent to block a Palestinian request for United Nations recognition. To avoid needing to exercise its veto power, the U.S. has been working with Israel to persuade members of the Security Council to abstain from voting.

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Go-it-Alone Strategy Leaves Palestinians Divided
Media Mention of Ziad Asali In The Huffington Post - September 23, 2011 - 12:00am

For months Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has traversed the globe, lobbying members of the United Nations to vote in support of a unilaterally declared Palestinian state. This is the week when he will take this long-threatened action, and when the member states will decide to support or oppose the Palestinian bid.

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