The Solution to Middle East Chaos ... American Task Force on Palestine: Categorically and unequivocally condemning all violence against civilians, no matter the cause and who the victims or perpetrators may be

The Solution to Middle East Chaos
July 28, 2014
Gaza, Syria, and Iraq are pained by that same disease of extremism and conflict. Civilians, more specifically children and women, are bearing the brunt of the injustices. In today's Middle East, we have sacrificed a generation to the flames of rage.

Israel’s rhetoric exposes some disturbing moral grey areas
July 28, 2014 
In the ongoing Gaza campaign, Israel and its supporters have once again fallen back on the shopworn idea that civilian casualties are justifiable because its primary intention is not to specifically target non-combatants.

VIDEO: The Conflict in Gaza: Recalculating the Political-Military Equation 

Published on Jul 24, 2014

Experts discuss Israeli and Hamas objectives and capabilities in the Gaza conflict, likely winners and losers, potential for a ceasefire agreement, and implications for future conflicts in the Middle East. Read more and download slide presentations

 VIDEO: MSNBC Last Word (7-18-14)... Nearly 300 Palestinians have died in the conflict between Hamas and Israel as both sides trade rockets and the blame. But who supports Hamas? Ziad Asali discusses.

 ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians

July 8, 2014, 

Washington, DC -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP)
today called on Israel and the Palestinians to de-escalate as quickly as
 possible from an increasingly explosive situation and a moment of grave
 peril. Major airstrikes on Gaza have killed numerous Palestinians,
reportedly including several children, today while another heavy barrage
 of rocket fire from Gaza was launched towards southern Israel, and at
least one rocket being reportedly shot down over Tel Aviv. Today's
violence comes in the context of tit-for-tat killings of, and attacks
on, Israeli and Palestinian teenagers in Jerusalem, widespread tensions
in the West Bank, and even growing unrest among Palestinian citizens of
Israel. 

ATFP called on all sides to demonstrate leadership and to take immediate and
 concrete actions to de-escalate the growing conflict and refrain from
inflammatory rhetoric. ATFP urged all parties to consider the negative
consequences of similar conflagrations in the past, and recall that they
 did not benefit either side, militarily or politically, but caused the
deaths of countless innocent civilians, enormous destruction of
property, and widespread and lasting misery. ATFP urged President Barack
 Obama and the rest of the international community to use their good
offices to ensure that all prospects for resolving the crisis are fully
explored.

ATFP categorically and unequivocally condemns all violence against civilians, no matter the cause and who the victims or perpetrators may be
ATFP's mission is to articulate and educate about the United States
national interest in helping to create a Palestinian state living alongside Israel in peace, security and dignity. ATFP is committed to strengthening Palestinian-American relations at every level. The Task Force supports Palestinian institution-building, good governance, anti-corruption measures, economic development, and improved living standards. ATFP holds that these same values are relevant to the broader Arab world, and that the question of Palestine is inextricably linked to regional realities and developments.

ATFP Panel on Israeli-Palestinian War in a New Regional Landscape... & a firm call for an immediate ceasefire

A breath of fresh air!  Four very bright, compassionate, aware, and wonderfully articulate individuals brave enough to be fully honest about Israel and Palestine and the vital importance of actually ending the Israel-Palestine conflict. 

  

Washington, DC, July 18 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) yesterday held a policy briefing at the National Press Club in Washington on "Israeli-Palestinian War in a New Regional Landscape." 

The panel, entirely composed of ATFP experts, called for an immediate ceasefire and analyzed the hostilities and their political implications from several perspectives. The event was sponsored by ATFP Board Member Ameen Estaiteyeh.

 ATFP President Ziad J. Asali framed the overall issue, expressed deep concern at the human suffering and destruction, and reiterated the Task Force's commitment to peace and a two-state solution as the only way to avoid further such tragedies. 

ATFP Board Member, Prof. Saliba Sarsar of Monmouth University, examined the ethico-political aspects of the conflict and prospects for conflict resolution between Israel and the Palestinians.

 Ghaith Al-Omari, ATFP Executive Director, analyzed the political impact and implications on the Palestinians, Israel and Egypt. 

A broader regional perspective was provided by ATFP Senior Fellow Hussein Ibish. A lively Q&A session followed the presentations.

 American Task Force on Palestine's mission is to articulate and educate about the United States
national interest in helping to create a Palestinian state living alongside Israel in peace, security and dignity. ATFP is committed to strengthening Palestinian-American relations at every level. 

The Task Force supports Palestinian institution-building, good governance, anti-corruption measures, economic development, and improved living standards. ATFP holds that these same values are relevant to the broader Arab world, and that the question of Palestine is inextricably linked to regional realities and developments. 

ATFP provides an independent voice for Palestinian-Americans and their supporters and advances human rights and peace. It categorically and unequivocally condemns all violence against civilians, no matter the cause and who the victims or perpetrators may be.

ATFP/UNRWA Briefing Monday, May 19 2014 The Future of Gaza: Trajectories, Trends, Challenges and Opportunities ... First Amendment Room, National Press Club Washington, DC

Register Now

ATFP/UNRWA Briefing

WHAT:
ATFP/UNRWA Briefing
The Future of Gaza: Trajectories, Trends, Challenges and Opportunities

WHO:
Robert Turner, Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza

Mara Rudman, former Obama and Clinton administration national security official, Quorum Strategies, LLC

Ghaith Al-Omari, ATFP (moderator)

WHEN:
Monday, May 19
Event at 2:30-4:00 PM

WHERE:
First Amendment Room, National Press Club
529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor
Washington, DC 20045

With so many aspects of its future in play, what lies ahead for the Gaza Strip and its nearly 2 million Palestinian residents? This joint briefing by the American Task Force on Palestine (A TFP) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) will examine the most pressing questions facing Gaza and its residents in both their immediate and medium-term contexts. The humanitarian and economic outlook seems grim, as indicated by the recent UN Country Team report “Gaza 2020.” The report predicts that, without changes in the current outlook, over the next 15 years, residents of Gaza will lose access to potable water, and access to food, shelter, and sanitary living conditions will be insufficient. What can be done to improve the humanitarian and economic forecast for Palestinians in Gaza? And what does the evolving political scene portend for the territory? Can the recent Hamas-Fatah agreement offer any prospects for improvement, or will it worsen the situation? What is Egypt's role in helping to shape Gaza's future? What are Israel’s obligations? Can any of these factors lead to a lifting or easing of the flow of goods, the freedom of movement, and the overall security and opportunity for all? This ATFP/UNRWA joint briefing will look at these questions and more in trying to assess what lies ahead.

Bios:

Robert Turner is the Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza and has over twenty years of experience in humanitarian and disaster response operations, including program management in conflict and immediate post-conflict environments around the globe. Having worked for the International Rescue Committee in Burundi, Kosovo and Macedonia, Mr. Turner has designed and managed multi-sectoral programs, including in shelter, water and sanitation, community development, health and camp management. Mr. Turner also has significant experience with the United Nations, specifically the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. In this capacity, he has been involved in planning and coordinating large-scale humanitarian and recovery operations, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo and Rwanda, as well as short-term missions in several other countries, including the tsunami response in Aceh. In Sudan, Mr. Turner was responsible for planning and coordinating operations related to the return and reintegration of some four million internally displaced persons. During his career with the UN, Mr. Turner also helped to establish the Joint Operation and Tasking Center to coordinate the use of military assets in response to the earthquake in Haiti. In past roles, he also undertook evaluations and research studies for the United Nations and the Australian Government; developed and implemented a training course for the International Federation of the Red Cross, and trained hundreds of international military officers in civil-military coordination.

Mara Rudman founded and runs Quorum Strategies, an international strategic consulting firm, based in Washington, D.C., providing services in operations and change management; issues, project and crisis management; and communications strategy.   She is also a Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow with the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University.  She recently taught a national security seminar at Dartmouth College.  Previously, she served as Assistant Administrator for the Middle East at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).   Prior to this appointment by President Obama, Rudman was a deputy envoy and chief of staff for the Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace at the State Department. She also served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary to the National Security Council under President Obama from January through May 2009.   In President Clinton’s administration, Rudman served at the National Security Council as Deputy Assistant the President for National Security Affairs and Chief of Staff for the National Security Council, among other positions.  In addition, she has been a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, focusing on national security issues.  Rudman also has worked as a vice president and general counsel for The Cohen Group, a Washington-based consultancy founded by former Secretary of Defense William Cohen.   Earlier in her career, Ms. Rudman was chief counsel to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, working for Chairman and then Ranking Member Lee Hamilton (D-IN).   She is a cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and a summa cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College. 

Ghaith Al-Omari is Executive Director at the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP). Prior to that, he served in various positions within the Palestinian Authority, including Director of the International Relations Department in the Office of the Palestinian President, and advisor to former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. In these capacities, he provided advice on foreign policy -- especially vis-à-vis the United States and Israel -- and security. He has extensive experience in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, having been an advisor to the Palestinian negotiating team throughout the permanent status negotiations (1999–2001). In that capacity, he participated in various negotiating rounds, most notably the Camp David summit and the Taba talks. After the breakdown of the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, he was the lead Palestinian drafter of the Geneva Initiative, an unofficial model peace agreement negotiated between leading Palestinian and Israeli public figures. Mr. al-Omari is a lawyer by training and a graduate of Georgetown and Oxford universities. Prior to his involvement in the Middle East peace process, he taught international law in Jordan and was active in human rights advocacy.

May 19th, 2014 2:30 PM

Location

The National Press Club
529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor
First Amendment Room
Washington, DC, DC 20045
United States

Contact

Phone: 202-887-0177
Email: thaikal@atfp.net

Please help sustain ATFP's work and independent decision-making by donating here.

Pro-Palestine, Pro-Peace, Pro-Israel.... productive, pragmatic and focused on what can actually help people

Moving Forward

Friday, May 2, 2014
Poughkeepsie, NY

Why Two-States? American, Palestinian and Jewish Voices for Justice, Security and Dignity in the Middle East

What does a just resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict look like? How can dignity and security be restored to Palestinians and Jews on the ground in the Middle East? Americans for Peace Now Campus Outreach Manager Aaron Mann, The American Task Force on Palestine Youth Outreach Coordinator Tala Haikal and J Street U Mid-Atlantic Campus Organizer Andrew Gordon-Kirsch will speak to how their work addresses these key questions and more. Join Vassar students for an honest discussion with three leading Washington-based organizations who share a vision of two states for two peoples. 

A conversation with

Tala Haikal, The American Task Force on Palestine;

Aaron Mann, Americans for Peace Now; and

Andrew Gordon-Kirsch, J Street U

***

                                                                  Thursday, May 01, 2014

J Street U speakers discuss Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the 2-state solution

“We really wanted to show that it’s possible to have a conversation about this issue that’s productive, pragmatic and focused on what could actually help people,” Boxerman said. “We believe that via the two-state solution, you are being pro-Israel, pro-Palestine and pro-peace.”

Ghaith al-Omari, an executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine: “You can’t deal with this conflict by denying the other...”


ProPalestine
ProDiplomacy
ProSovereignStatehood
ProUniversalHumanRights
ProCompassion
ProDemocracy 
ProJustice
ProPeace 

    ProTheRuleofFair&JustLaws... ProPeacewithIsrael

“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighbourhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerned citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”  Eleanor Roosevelt, “In Our Hands” (1958 speech delivered on the tenth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

What are human rights?

The concept of human rights acknowledges that every single human being is entitled to enjoy his or her human rights without distinction as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Human rights are legally guaranteed by human rights law, protecting individuals and groups against actions that interfere with fundamental freedoms and human dignity. They are expressed in treaties, customary international law, bodies of principles and other sources of law. Human rights law places an obligation on States to act in a particular way and prohibits States from engaging in specified activities. However, the law does not establish human rights. Human rights are inherent entitlements which come to every person as a consequence of being human.

The following are some of the most important characteristics of human rights:

• Human rights are founded on respect for the dignity and worth of each person;
• Human rights are universal, meaning that they are applied equally and without discrimination to all people;
• Human rights are inalienable, in that no one can have his or her human rights taken away; they can be limited in specific situations (for example, the right to liberty can be restricted if a person is found guilty of a crime by a court of law);
• Human rights are indivisible, interrelated and interdependent, for the reason that it is insufficient to respect some human rights and not others. In practice, the violation of one right will often affect respect for several other rights.
• All human rights should therefore be seen as having equal importance and of being equally essential to respect for the dignity and worth of every person.

Article 1 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

• All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

ATFP Briefing: Yarmouk Camp Crisis

as of 1-28-2014: 73 Palestinian refugees starved to death in Yarmouk refugee camp

Briefing Video

Published on Jan 27, 2014

The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) hosted a briefing on the Palestinian Refugees in Syria and the crisis at Yarmouk on Wednesday, January 22. The event that was held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C, examined the crisis from numerous angles, including its humanitarian and regional components, and placed it in the context of international responsibilities towards the victims.

The panelists included the acting head of the DC UNRWA office Christopher McGrath; WINEP Senior Fellow Andrew J. Tabler; and ATFP Senior Fellow Hussein Ibish. It was moderated by ATFP Executive Director Ghaith Al-Omari.

Real models for Arab-American advocacy in the U.S.

ATFP 10th Anniversary photos

NOTE: The following commentary by ATFP Executive Director Ghaith al-Omari appears today on the Al Arabiya website. Click here for the original Al Arabiya commentary.]

Real models for Arab-American advocacy in the U.S.
Sunday, 15 December 2013
Ghaith al-Omari

It is an inescapable and perennial question among Arabs and Arab Americans why they have found it so difficult to establish a political presence in Washington and exercise influence over U.S. government policies. A Nov. 30 Al Arabiya News panel held in Dubai once again examined this quandary from multiple perspectives.

It is generally believed, and was reflected in the Al Arabiya panel, that there has been little more than a series of failures in such projects, arising from a plethora of challenges, obstacles and insufficient efforts. This is largely true. Yet, there are some important extant and emerging models of Arab-American success that went overlooked in the conversation and have yet to receive sufficient attention in general.

The Arab states face somewhat different challenges than the Arab-American community in trying to influence American policies, although their perspectives, interests and problems sometimes have significant overlap. For the Arab Americans, the problem is essentially a lack of organizations and institutions commensurate with their educational, financial, social and other accomplishments. In all other indicators, the Arab Americans outperform the vast majority of other Americans. But when it comes to building and maintaining political credibility, clout and influence, they seem to be particularly ineffective.

As was raised at the panel, the most typical complaint is the lack of an effective “Arab lobby,” or even set of Arab and Arab American lobbying groups to try to influence legislation and policy. And, as was noted on the panel, impediments - both those internal and external to the Arab-American community - really do undermine its ability to be politically effective. Yet, it is not enough to identify these. It is important to look into ongoing projects that demonstrate exactly how, and to what extent, that can happen if people are willing to do what is necessary for success.

It’s important to note that lobbying, which is a very clearly defined and regulated legal activity in the United States directly relating to specific legislation and elections, is hardly the only way of successfully engaging the American policy conversation. Even for more generalized policy advocacy, public education and other related and indispensable activities, hurdles do exist. However, it is equally important to understand that there are no legal or formal barriers to Arab-American political participation. It all comes down to a matter of will and skill.

A shining example

We strongly believe that some Arab Americans, such as the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP), although it is not a lobby group but a policy advocacy organization, have identified ways of effective Arab-American engagement in Washington. And we feel that ATFP has demonstrated the core elements necessary for such a successful intervention.

First, it must be American at its core; especially if it relates to foreign policy, also, it must put the U.S. national interest first and participate in defining it. Second, it must engage with the system as it exists, and craft receivable messages that can be successfully communicated to policy makers and framers. Third, it must seek to make itself genuinely relevant to the problems facing the implementation of core, consensus American policy goals. Fourth, it must be based on integrity and an unswerving commitment to political and intellectual consistency saying the same things to all audiences in every language and not ever playing into the stereotype of Arab doublespeak.

Any such project will face significant resistance from within and without.

External forces such as extremist pro-Israel and other elements of the ultra-right will try to paint any Arab-American project, especially if it overtly champions the cause of Palestine, as anti-Semitic and possibly terrorist-oriented. Islamophobes will attack anything remotely linked to Islam or Muslims. And elements of the far left will denounce any serious effort to engage with the American political system as “selling out” or collaborating with imperialism and so forth. However, the bulk of the American policy and political mainstream is supportive of such a project.

Far more damaging are the internal constraints facing any serious Arab-American effort at political empowerment based on the indispensable precepts outlined above. The Arab-American far left and the Muslim religious right can both be relied upon to condemn any such project as “collaboration” and even “treason.” The alienation of so much of the community here in the United States, and the pervasive misimpression that the system is somehow closed to us makes anyone who engages, particularly if they are successful, immediately suspect. Therefore, not only is any effort stigmatized by a strident, vocal minority within the community, the more successful it is, the more it will be condemned.

Knee-jerk anti-Americanism

Similarly, the normative, knee-jerk anti-Americanism from multiple quarters in Arab political discourse, media and social conversation reinforce these same sentiments within the Arab-American community.

Many Arab Americans remain primarily informed by Arab political discourse, which has two debilitating impacts. First, it means that they are speaking a different political language, no matter how perfect their English may be, than their fellow citizens. They simply cannot be understood because of the chasm in worldviews. Second, insofar as Arab Americans are influenced by Arab discourse emanating from the Middle East, their alienation from and hostility towards their own country and its foreign policy is only exacerbated.

These factors combine to intimidate, bully and discourage far too many Arab Americans who would otherwise been keen on engaging in our country’s political and policy dynamic. They are the real reasons why it is proving so hard for Arab Americans, as a community, to be effective in Washington.

We believe we have shown how, by shaking off these traditional negative attitudes and embracing our full status as American citizens with every right, and indeed the responsibility, to help define and shape our national interests, Arab Americans can achieve the long-elusive goals of political credibility and relevance. With meager resources, and facing all of these same difficulties, ATFP has managed to gain a seat at the American policy table on the most sensitive and challenging of U.S. foreign policy issues: Palestine. If this can be accomplished regarding Israeli-Palestinian matters, other areas of concern should be even more accessible.

The challenge now is to extend this model beyond the issue of Palestine to other crucial American foreign policy concerns in the Middle East, and the accumulation of major influence through multiple organizations. Serious, purposeful, focused engagement of the kind pursued by ATFP needs to be replicated at a much broader level and through many different vehicles.

Over the past decade of its existence, ATFP has proven, beyond any plausible doubt, that it is entirely possible for Arab Americans to gain credibility, access, and indeed, influence over the thorniest of American policy issues if the approach is serious, thoughtful and systematic. The corollary is obvious: The main thing that is actually holding the Arabs and the Arab Americans back from gaining real political impact and influence in the United States is… ourselves!

____________________

Ghaith al-Omari is Executive Director at the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP). Prior to that, he served in various positions within the Palestinian Authority, including Director of the International Relations Department in the Office of the Palestinian President, and advisor to former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. In these capacities, he provided advice on foreign policy - especially vis-à-vis the United States and Israel -- and security. He has extensive experience in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, having been an advisor to the Palestinian negotiating team throughout the permanent status negotiations (1999–2001). In that capacity, he participated in various negotiating rounds, most notably the Camp David summit and the Taba talks. After the breakdown of the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, he was the lead Palestinian drafter of the Geneva Initiative, an unofficial model peace agreement negotiated between leading Palestinian and Israeli public figures. Mr. al-Omari is a lawyer by training and a graduate of Georgetown and Oxford universities. Prior to his involvement in the Middle East peace process, he taught international law in Jordan and was active in human rights advocacy.

ATFP Video: "I CAN SEE PALESTINE..."

Post by ATFP.

ATFP's Ziad Asali & Ghaith Al-Omari: Salam Fayyad's bold effort to build Palestinian institutions could soon collapse -- unless Israel and the United States spring to action.

The current trends are ominous: Hamas is growing stronger in both Gaza and the West Bank, while the financially strapped PA is struggling to present a viable alternative. If this continues, the world will witness what Fayyad recently termed a "doctrinal defeat" of those who work for progress through nonviolent strategies. The message being conveyed to the Palestinians is that a policy of partnership with Israel, the United States, and the international community is fraught with more risk than open confrontation.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/01/03/the_palestinian_implosion

The Palestinian Implosion

Salam Fayyad's bold effort to build Palestinian institutions could soon collapse -- unless Israel and the United States spring to action.

BY ZIAD ASALI, GHAITH AL-OMARI | JANUARY 3, 2013

Three years ago, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad launched an ambitious plan to build effective, responsive, and clean government institutions. The results were impressive, and Fayyad was hailed as a figure who was making true progress toward a two-state solution even as formal negotiations faltered. 

These days, however, the entire project is under dire threat. The political and social worldview that informs Fayyad's vision has been undermined by Hamas's apparent ability to leverage armed conflict to its political advantage. To reverse this disturbing trend, the international community and Israel need to recognize that Palestinian institution building is a strategic priority -- not merely an economic or technical one. Urgent steps on all sides are required to save this project, or its vision for Palestinian independence and peace with Israel may give way to more confrontational approaches, to the detriment of all.

There is no denying the progress that has been made. Under Fayyad, the Palestinian Authority (PA) eliminated structural corruption in ministries and other public agencies under its control. Palestinian security forces have been providing both Palestinians and Israelis with unprecedented security. In 2011, the United Nations, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund all issued reports certifying that the PA fully met the criteria for independence. The PA "is well positioned for the establishment of a state at any point in the near future," read a 2011 World Bank report. In April 2011, international donors noted, "Palestinian institutions compare favorably with those in established states."...READ MORE

 American Task Force on Palestine

ATFP is dedicated to advocating that it is in the American national interest to promote an end to the conflict in the Middle East through a negotiated agreement that provides for two states - Israel and Palestine - living side by side in peace and security... ATFP is strictly opposed to all acts of violence against civilians no matter the cause and no matter who the victims or perpetrators may be.  The Task Force advocates the development of a Palestinian state that is democratic, pluralistic, non-militarized and neutral in armed conflicts.

 

There is a growing triumphalism from those who advocate perpetual conflict. The more Americans of goodwill abandon hope and walk away from the issue, the closer the voices of hatred are to dominating the conversation. But ATFP refuses to walk away....

                                    ATFP needs our help!
Dear friend,

Over 175 Palestinians killed. Six Israelis killed. More than 1,500 Israeli strikes launched at Gaza. At least 1,400 Palestinian rockets fired at Israel. How and when will this madness end? The recent conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza only underscores the founding principles of ATFP: there is no military solution; peace can only be based on two states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace, security and dignity; and our own country, the United States, has a vital national security interest in ending the conflict through a negotiated agreement.

Almost 10 years ago, in early 2003, ATFP was created to achieve a number of objectives. We have striven to bring Palestinians and Americans closer together in every possible way. We have successfully mainstreamed the issue and the cause of Palestine in the American policy making and framing conversation, and become an important voice in Washington in advocating for peace and Palestine. Even though the situation is grim, it is more obvious than ever that only ATFP's approach offers a solution for Palestinians, Israelis, their neighbors and our own country. Otherwise, we will all remain trapped in an endless cycle of violence, primarily at the expense of ordinary human beings such as the innocent people of Palestine and Israel.

As ATFP enters its second decade, our work is far from done. The upheavals in the Arab world have created new challenges and opportunities. The Palestinian issue can no longer be isolated, nor can the region be stabilized or move forward without progress on resolving it. This past year witnessed many setbacks and frustrations. Negotiations are at an impasse. Palestinians, Israelis and Americans are drifting further apart at a time when they need to move closer together to bring this conflict to an end. The Palestinian institution-building program, which has been giving Palestinians the security and effective, accountable governance that they deserve, is being threatened by a lack of funds. The Palestinian issue is no longer near the top of US regional priorities. And finally came the conflict in Gaza. Hope for Palestinians and Israelis requires reestablishing the virtuous dynamic that only the kinds of partnership championed by ATFP can deliver.

These negative developments have emboldened extreme voices on all sides. And these shrill, strident voices have little difficulty garnering significant financial support by appealing to peoples' basest instincts. There is a growing triumphalism from those who advocate perpetual conflict. The more Americans of goodwill abandon hope and walk away from the issue, the closer the voices of hatred are to dominating the conversation. But ATFP refuses to walk away.  We refuse to succumb to despair. As a consequence, we have come under unprecedented attack by those who would condemn Palestinians and Israelis to a future of conflict and suffering. Nonetheless, we remain committed to advocating partnership and compromise. We believe this is the only way to advance the cause of peace and American interests and values.

Despite numerous institutional and policy challenges, we have remained active in Washington and beyond. We were instrumental, working with several partners, in securing the release of $200 million of last year’s US assistance to the PA and we will continue these efforts. We have worked to bring Palestinians and Israelis closer together in numerous public and private engagements. In the past year, our staff has addressed audiences in more than 65 cities across the country to counter the narrative of despair and nihilism with one of realistic hope. We published scores of articles and made countless media appearances to advocate for peace and the institution-building program we believe lays the necessary groundwork for a successful, independent Palestine. This is the only viable win-win scenario for both peoples and for our own country.

ATFP has never been more badly needed than it is now. But ATFP has never needed your help more urgently than it does now. Please consider supporting ATFP by making a donation by clicking here.

The past year has been trying for the Task Force and our cause, but has vindicated everything we stand for and all that we are trying to achieve. We have proven, despite many doubts and critics, that it is possible to successfully argue on behalf of peace at the highest policy levels in Washington. We are convinced that crucial opportunities to promote and protect the cause of peace will unfold in the coming months. However, when we say we rely on your generosity, this is literal and precise. We are committed to doing everything we can in this indispensable cause. To maintain and pursue our independent policies and decision-making, we rely entirely on your support. We ask you, through your generosity, to allow us to continue our work on behalf of peace, Palestine and the American national interest.

We are counting on you and your commitment to a better future! Please donate here

Sincerely yours,
Ziad J. Asali, MD, President;
Ghaith al-Omari, LLM, Executive Director;
Hussein Ibish, PhD, Senior Fellow

American Task Force on Palestine.

1634 Eye St
Suite 725
Washington, DC -20006
United States

- 202-887-0177 - info@atfp.net - The American Task Force on Palestine

A stamp from 1994, the first year of PNA stamps

Arabian Horses

PBS NEWSHOUR: How Will the Palestinian UN Move Impact Prospects for Mideast Peace?

SUMMARY As Palestinians go to the United Nations to ask for more recognition, Margaret Warner talks to Ghaith al-Omari and David Makovsky about why the different Palestinian factions are seeking a status change and how it may affect tensions with Israel and longterm peace prospects.  

Transcript

 

MARGARET WARNER: For more on the Palestinian bid for greater recognition at the United Nations, I'm joined by David Makovsky of the Washington Institute For Near East Policy, and Ghaith Al-Omari, executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine.

Welcome back to both of you.

Let's start by explaining, why is this such a big deal? You have got the U.S. vociferously opposed to it. Why is this such a big deal, first of all, for the Palestinians?

GHAITH AL-OMARI, American Task Force on Palestine: For President Abbas, the stagnation in the peace process over the last couple of years, his lack of any diplomatic achievements throughout that period, and the fact that we have seen Hamas gaining more and more mainstreaming in the region and beyond the region makes it...READ MORE

The perils of alienation over Palestine

 [AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

http://www.americantaskforce.org/daily_news_article/2012/06/26/perils_alienation_over_palestine

by Ghaith Al-Omari
The Daily Star (Opinion)
June 26, 2012 - 12:00am
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Commentary/2012/Jun-26/178190-the-perils-of-...

Critics of the American Task Force on Palestine get one thing right: Palestinian Americans have largely failed to make their voices heard in the mainstream American political and foreign-policy conversation. However, this is the fault of self-styled “pro-Palestinian” advocates who operate in a cult-like echo-chamber and advocate an approach that does considerable harm to the Palestinian cause.

It is often claimed that strident “pro-Palestinian” advocates are afraid to speak up. On the contrary, their voices are loud and shrill, but they champion stances that plainly invite marginalization.

Any position that rests on the dogmatic assertion that a two-state solution is a dangerous illusion is simply not going to be taken seriously. A two-state solution is the policy of the Palestinian national leadership and – according to all opinion polls – a majority of Palestinians in the occupied territories, as well as people in Israel, the United States, the Arab and Muslim worlds, the United Nations, and indeed the rest of the world (except perhaps Iran).

Those who spend all their efforts merely trying to show how bad Israel is and how victimized the Palestinians are, while offering no constructive input to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian problem, should expect the world to ignore their whining. Indeed, such behavior begs the question of whether these individuals really want a solution at all, or – in some material, intellectual or emotional register – are comfortable with the continuation of the conflict.

Their tired message of victimization and blame also fails to resonate among many Palestinians who refuse to define themselves as hapless victims, and are taking proactive measures in the occupied territories to improve their lives and build the basis for an independent state. Not surprisingly, these Palestinian efforts are also condemned by these so-called “pro-Palestinian” activists.

ATFP was created to eschew precisely such self-marginalizing approaches. We at ATFP have never claimed to represent, or speak for, anyone but ourselves. But we also understood some essential realities. The tools and resources of the American political system are open to all Americans. The only limitations are those that are self-imposed. Our best leverage is our ability to add value to the policy conversation. So, rather than angrily lamenting the state of things, we engage and proactively promote the American national interest in ending the occupation and bringing peace to the Palestinians and Israelis.

We have been successful beyond our expectations. We have obviously not succeeded in creating a Palestinian state, but we have injected a powerful, constant Palestinian-American voice into the mainstream American foreign-policy debate. Through ATFP, Palestine has indeed become part of the Washington establishment.

The noises made by our critics have not impeded our ability to influence the policy conversation, because these critics have no place in it. That is not to say, however, that such malicious activists have not been harmful to Palestinian Americans in other ways.

Appointing themselves guardians of political correctness in the community, this camp has created an atmosphere of intimidation. They have relied on bullying tactics, accusing ATFP of “treachery,” “collaboration,” “normalization,” “opportunism,” and so forth. These labels are routinely deployed in vicious smear campaigns against Palestinian and Arab-American activists who claim the full measure of their citizenship by engaging in our own country’s political system.

When I speak at campuses around the United States, I am regularly told by young Arab-Americans that they agree with ATFP’s general approach, but are uncomfortable voicing this for fear of these commissars of correctness. Each one of these bright, energetic young people who are intimidated from engaging with the American mainstream is a loss to the Palestinian cause. As a result, the vibrant and successful Palestinian-American community has shrill voices on the margins but a distinctly low presence in the very field Palestinians care so much about: American foreign policy.

There is a large measure of internalized racism in these attacks. Such critics simply cannot imagine that Arab-Americans can be serious participants in American policy conversations. Because they persist in the deep-seated belief that it is impossible for us to actually impact policy, they assume engagement means selling out or capitulating.

Such people may cling to the comfort of seeing themselves solely as perpetual righteous victims oppressed by Israel and America, but Palestine and the Palestinian-American community are paying the price for their self-indulgence.

Palestinian Americans have long lamented the lack of an effective “Palestine lobby.” ATFP is not, nor does it want to be, such a lobby. But as policy practitioners in Washington, we keenly feel the need for one. The more engaged Arab-Americans are in the system and in the foreign policy conversation, the more effective will our collective message be. Alienated critics might make interesting characters, but they can’t have any impact on American policy.

Activists living in a self-imposed ghetto need to understand that the Palestinian issue is not about them or their intellectual and emotional comfort. It is about real people who endure losses every day the conflict continues.

 ATFP is strictly opposed to all acts of violence against civilians no matter the cause and no matter who the victims or perpetrators may be.  The Task Force advocates the development of a Palestinian state that is democratic, pluralistic, non-militarized and neutral in armed conflicts.

Help support the American Task Force on Palestine in its mission to create a viable Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in Peace and Security.

Questions For One-Staters