Ziad J. Asali

Ziad J. Asali, M.D., is the President and founder of the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP), located in Washington, DC.

Bio

According to the ATP's biography page on Asali,

"Dr. Asali is a long-time activist on Arab-American issues. He has been a member of the Chairman's Council of American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) since 1982, and has served as ADC's President from 2001-2003. He served as the President of the Arab-American University Graduates (AAUG) from 1993-1995, and was Chairman of the American Committee on Jerusalem (ACJ), which he co-founded, from 1995-2003.

"Dr. Asali has contributed and written for the Los Angeles Times, Detroit Free Press, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Miami Herald, and The Daily Star. He has provided television commentary and interviews for CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, BBC, Voice of America and numerous syndicated cable programs. Dr. Asali has also appeared on several Arabic television networks, including Al Jazeera, Nile TV, ART, Egyptian TV, Abu Dhabi TV, and the Dubai satellite channel. His opinions have also appeared in newspapers throughout the Arab World including Al-Hayat, Al-Ahram, Al-Raii, Jordan Times and Akhbar Al-Arab. In addition, he is a regular speaker at international conferences, Arab-American conventions, academic groups and community gatherings.

"Dr. Asali is the author of several publications that include: "From Crusades To Zionism" (1993) "Zionist Studies of the Crusades" (1992) "Expedition to Jerusalem" (1990) "Coronary Artery Spasm Causing Myocardial Infarction" (1983).

"Dr. Asali was born in Jerusalem, where he completed his elementary and secondary education. He received a B.S. from the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 1963 and an M.D. from AUB Medical School in 1967. He completed his residency in Salt Lake City, Utah, and then practiced medicine in Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem before returning to the US in 1973. Dr. Asali was the Medical Director, Laboratory Director, and Chairman of the Board at the Christian County Medical Clinic in Taylorville, Illinois, until he retired in 2000. He is a member of several medical societies such as the American Medical Association, the American Society of Internal Medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians."

Criticism

Asali has been criticized by Palestinians for a meek and uncritical stance pertaining to US policy and the collaborationist nature of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Asali has positioned The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) as a "moderate" lobbying organization, and eagerly seeks to address US establishment figures. At its "black-tie" dinner event, Condolezza Rice, was invited to speak. Asali also specializes in seeking "partnership" with Jewish organizations in the US.

MJ Rosenberg comments:

The American Task Force on Palestine is supposed to be the Palestinian lobby in Washington. It never succeeded as such but it did succeed as a personal vanity vehicle for its founder Dr. Ziad Asali and his aide, Hussein Ibish. At some point it gave up any semblance of being a Palestinian lobby and joined up with the Israeli lobby, as its Palestinian front. Ultimately, however, it took things too far. As this terrific piece in Daily Beast describes, the moment the gig was up for the ATFP was when Dr. Asali was photographed celebrating Israel independence day at the Israeli embassy and Ha’aretz tweeted the photograph.

Affiliations

• Co-Chair, U.S.-Palestinian Partnership
• Advisory Board, Dialogue International Policy Institute
• Trustee, Hala Foundation
• Leadership Group, U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project
• Trustees Advisory Council, OneVoice