July 15th

ATFP Board Member Partners With North Carolina State Investment Grant Worth $23 Million to Create 205 New Jobs Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - December 9, 2007 - 1:00am The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) is proud to announce that Mr. Adnan Mjalli, Ph.D, Chairman, President and CEO of TransTech Pharma, has partnered with the state of North Carolina to invest more than $23 million and create 205 jobs in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry fields during the next five years in High Point, North Carolina. The expansion was made possible in part by a state Job Development Investment Grant and was announced by North Carolina Governor Mike Easley. Read more

U.S.-Palestinian Partnership Concludes Trip to Palestine-Israel Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - January 14, 2008 - 1:00am A delegation of the newly-created U.S.-Palestinian Public-Private Partnership has just concluded its first trip to Palestine-Israel. The delegation was led by the Partnership chair and President and CEO of the Aspen Institute Walter Isaacson and included co-chairs ATFP president Ziad Asali and Case Foundation CEO Jean Case, Mickey Bergman and Toni Verstandig of the Aspen Institute, Ambassador Margaret Scobey and Andrea McDaniel from the Department of State, and George Laudato from USAID. Read more

ATFP calls for ceasefire in Gaza, lifting of siege Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - January 21, 2008 - 1:00am Washington, DC, Jan. 22 – The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today called for an urgent ceasefire between Israel and militia groups based in the Gaza Strip, and an end to measures that threaten to impose a humanitarian crisis on the population in Gaza. In particular, ATFP called for an immediate end to the latest moves by the government of Israel including cutting of fuel supplies for Gaza's only electricity plant, and other restrictions threatening international aid supplies of food and medicine. Read more

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad delivers major policy address at ATFP event Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - February 10, 2008 - 1:00am The American Task Force on Palestine today hosted Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad for a major policy address at the National Press Club. Delivering a speech entitled “Investing in Peace for Palestine,” Prime Minister Fayyad spoke about progress on Palestinian commitments to good governance, security, economic and political reform despite continued occupation. “I firmly believe that we have demonstrated our ability to do the job, if given the chance,” said Prime Minister Fayyad. Read more

ATFP reiterates call for end to violence in Gaza Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - March 2, 2008 - 1:00am Washington, DC, March 3 – The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today renewed its call for an end to armed hostilities between Israel and militia groups based in the Gaza Strip. The Task Force expressed grave concern for the wellbeing of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip – where over 100 people, many of them civilians, have been killed by Israeli forces in recent days – and for the population of Israeli towns, including Sderot and Ashkelon, within the range of rockets fired by militia groups in Gaza. Read more

Call for Partners in Peace Internship Applications Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - March 25, 2008 - 12:00am Americans for Peace Now (APN) and the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) are seeking applications to a joint internship program that will offer interns a unique perspective of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – from two leading advocacy organizations – that spans borders, dispels prejudice, and promotes a two-state solution. Read more

ATFP hosts two exceptional delegations from Palestine Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - April 23, 2008 - 12:00am The American Task Force on Palestine continued its advocacy work this month, hosting two Palestinian NGO delegations. On April 10, ATFP’s Board of Directors met with the “NGO Mapping Project” which identifies efficient and moderate Palestinian NGO’s for the international community. Read more

Yasser Abd Rabbo Cautions Against ?Partition of West Bank? Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - April 24, 2008 - 12:00am Washington, DC, April 25 -- In a speech in Washington today, Yasser Abd Rabbo, a PLO Executive Committee Member and Policy Adviser to Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, reiterated the Palestinian commitment to peace with Israel and praised Bush Administration efforts to reach an agreement. He repeatedly cautioned Israel against seeking “the partition of the West Bank,” which he said Palestinians “will never accept.” Read more

ATFP hosts book event featuring Aaron David Miller Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - April 24, 2008 - 12:00am On Friday, April 18, the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) hosted a discussion with veteran US peace negotiator Aaron David Miller about his new book “The Much Too Promised Land: America’s Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace” (2008, Bantam Books). Miller served as an adviser to six secretaries of state and is now public policy fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Read more

ATFP, Secretary Rice, Private Sector Leaders Promote Investment in Palestine Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - April 28, 2008 - 12:00am Washington DC, April 29 – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today convened a meeting of American private sector business leaders and leaders of the US-Palestinian Public-Private Partnership initiative to explore opportunities for investment in Palestine in the run-up to the Palestine Investment Conference in Bethlehem on May 21-23, 2008. Partnership chair Walter Isaacson and co-chairs Jean Case and ATFP President Ziad J. Asali attended the meeting at the State Department along with Secretary Rice and other senior government officials. Read more