New Video Previewing ATFP's 10th Anniversary Gala

The American Task Force on Palestine www.AmericanTaskForce.org is celebrating its 10th Anniversary at this year's annual Gala. As always, this year we will be honoring the accomplishments of distinguished Palestinian Americans.

ATFP's black-tie galas are attended by high-level decision-makers and opinion-influencers in Washington, along with an unmatched combination of community members, diplomats, analysts, journalists and other distinguished guests.

The Gala program will be informative and newsworthy -- a senior policy-maker (to be announced) will give the keynote speech, at a time when dramatic events in the Middle East are leading the news worldwide. Moreover, it will be entertaining: various musicians, singers and comedians will ensure that the atmosphere is lively and joyful.


Tuesday October 29, 2013

 
The Ritz-Carlton

1150 22nd Street, NW Washington, DC 20037

The ATFP Gala is a black-tie event

Purchase tickets here!

The American Task Force on Palestine

The American Task Force on Palestine.

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Dear Ziad,

Thank you and your lovely wife Naila, and all of ATFP for hosting such an inspiring and interesting Gala. My husband and I very much enjoyed all the art- and the speakers... and the gift bag with zataar and olive oil and Nabulsi soap.

Meeting one of my favorite modern poets in person was a moment I will never ever forget. Naomi Shihab Nye is as welcoming and delightful as her poems.

ATFP's hard work and good intentions are obvious, as is the talent, intelligence, dignity and compassion of all the many people who chose to help support the American Task Force on Palestine... I wish you the best of luck in your collective efforts to help shape a just, lasting and comprehensive peace and a real Palestinian state.

Sincerely,
Annie

Salvaging Palestine ... a poem by Anne Selden Annab

        Salvaging Palestine

Lunatic logic pilfers- freely
takes the work of organizations
builds momentum on borrowed facts
reshapes bits and pieces to suit
a story line aiming to destroy
the wrong enemy....

Lunatic logic is a line
drilled through the rock
of reality
a tiny tunnel
to a tiny stage
where shadows play.

Enchanting- yes
for some.
Empowering- no.

Lunatic logic
 aims into irrelevance
diverts resources
drains eclectic energy
depletes reserves
grabs all it can shove
into that teeny tiny tight tunnel
leading to that teeny tiny stage
where fearsome shadows play...

While outside a huge complex world
of light and air and earth and H2O

carbon units-and phosphorescence
photosynthesis... building permits

Roads and ruins. Life moves on:

Gravity will not reinvent itself
to favor some but not others.

Mountains and fields and forests and trees
Suburbs and cities and farms
borders and citizenship

A huge complex world
aware of connections
carries on collecting
 facts
organizing ideas
discussing options
building a future for realists
for dreamers and doers
and entrepreneurs
avoiding
the larceny
of lunatic logic.