American Task Force on Palestine

The American Task Force on Palestine (ATCP) was founded in 2003 in Washington, D.C., as a not-for-profit corporation. The Task Force has also been identified as the American Committee on Palestine. The ATCP was formerly known as the American Committee on Jerusalem.

Overview
The Task Force's stated mission is that it "aims to educate the American people about the national security interests of the United States in establishing a Palestinian state. Specifically, ATFP seeks to promote the awareness of the far-reaching benefits that Palestinian statehood will have for the United States in the following areas:


 * Enhancing national security, as well as regional peace and stability;
 * The proliferation of American values of freedom and democracy, through the creation of a democratic and constitutional state for the Palestinian people;
 * The expansion of economic opportunities throughout the Arab and Islamic worlds, resulting from an atmosphere of peace and cooperation.

"ATFP advocates the establishment of a democratic state of Palestine living in peace and security alongside Israel in the territories occupied in 1967 in accordance with international law and the relevant United Nations Resolutions."

"The American Task Force on Palestine advocates the formation of a Palestinian state primarily because such a step would represent an absolute windfall for the interests of the United States. As America continues the defense of its citizens and its freedoms in the global War on Terrorism, a final and satisfactory resolution of the Mideast conflict, which is the single greatest source of anti-American sentiment throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds, would be an invaluable asset. Such a resolution is possible only with a restoration of Palestinian rights in the land that has been their home for centuries without interruption. The longer this denial of rights persists, the more difficult it will be to convince young people to choose the path of peace. Nevertheless, hope for a brighter future must not be abandoned. Without the constant pain and feelings of injustice that this conflict continues to inflict on the world, zealots will be hard pressed to find recruits for their nefarious schemes. At the same time, Israel's security and its integration in the Middle East depend firmly on the establishment of defined borders with its neighbors and a just solution for the Palestinian problem based on international legality."

Governance


 * Ziad J. Asali, President and Founder
 * Rashid Khalidi, Vice President
 * Talat Othman, Secretary/Treasurer
 * Reema Ali
 * Jesse I. Aweida
 * George R. Salem

Founding Members


 * Reverend Fahd Abu-Akel
 * Reema Ali
 * Naila Asali
 * Ziad Asali
 * Jesse Aweida
 * Tawfiq Barqawi
 * Abul Huda Farouki
 * George Hishmeh
 * Mazin Jadallah
 * Omar Kader
 * Rashid Khalidi
 * Rashid Khatib
 * Rami Khouri
 * Alfred Khoury
 * Hani Masri
 * Talat Othman
 * Rana Sadik
 * George Salem
 * George Tawil

Board of Directors
Source
 * Samir Abu-Ghazaleh, M.D.
 * Reema Ali, Esq.
 * Naila Asali
 * Ziad J. Asali, M.D.
 * Marwan Atalla
 * Abed Awad, Esq.
 * Jesse I. Aweida
 * Peter Aweida
 * Tawfiq Barqawi
 * Nedal Deeb, Ph.D.
 * Ameen Estaiteyeh
 * George Hishmeh
 * Bishr Husseini
 * Maha Kaddoura
 * Omar M. Kader, Ph.D.
 * Bishop Samir Kafity
 * Shadia Kanaan
 * Imad Khalidi
 * Rashid Khatib
 * Hani Masri
 * Farah Munayyer
 * G.F. Joey (Ghaith) Musmar
 * Fahim Qubain, Ph.D.
 * Rana Sadik
 * Tareq Salahi
 * George Salem, Esq.
 * Saliba Sarsar, Ph.D.
 * Zuhair Suidan
 * Cheryl Sukhtian
 * Basel Yanes, M.D.
 * Ali Zaghab, Ph. D.

Staff Members
Source
 * Rafi Dajani
 * Hussein Ibish

Contact
815 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20006 Phone: (202) 887-0177 Fax: (202) 887-1920 Email: incoming AT americantaskforce.org Web: http://www.americantaskforce.org

Other SourceWatch resources

 * Palestine