New Pro- Palestine Lobby Established in US

Please note that a new pro- Palestine lobby has
just been established in the US. As Irish people many of us have a strong link with the US through family and other ties. Please send the attached information to any friends or organisations you may know of in the US asking them to support this initiative.

A LANDMARK NEW ORGANIZATION IS LAUNCHED;A PRO-PALESTINE LOBBY IS BORN
For Immediate Release

WASHINGTON, DC - June 10, 2003 - Today, a Pro-PalestineLobby is born.It is called the American Association forPalestinian Equal Rights (AAPER).AAPER is dedicated torepresenting all Americans who support the great cause of Palestinian rights to freedom and equality.AAPER is divided into two distinct organizations with complementary missions: one focused on education and the other devoted to lobbying.

AAPER Foundation is an educational organization, whose mission is to inform the American public about Palestinian rights and the nature of the US role in the Arab-Israeli relationship. The AAPER organization is a lobbying organization, whose mission is to shape a US foreign policy that recognizes and seeks to advance the human and national rights of the Palestinian people.

AAPER Foundation will fulfill its educational mission by providing effective and concise information to NGOs, the national media and the public at large. AAPER will fulfill its lobbying mission by representing to elected officials the hundreds of American organizations and millions of American citizens that support peace and justice in Israel/Palestine, but have been without an organization to lobby Congress on their behalf.

In a statement on the organization's launch, AAPER Founderand President, George Naggiar, said: "For too many years in Washington and around the US, there has been a very limited perspective on the cause of Palestinian rights, which is poorly understood in the United States. This is reflected in media coverage of the Palestinian struggle, American public discourse and official US policies. We will work to systematically change that.

"AAPER Co-Founder and Executive Director, Clayton Swisheradded: "At this point in American history, there is nocause more overdue than to fairly address the Palestinequestion.By showing the Arab world what the Americanpeople stand for--liberty and justice--AAPER seeks tostrengthen America's security interests at home andabroad.I am proud to be a part of this exciting moment."

CONTACT:George Naggiar, (202) 333-5028Clayton Swisher, (202) 333-5028http://www.americansforpalestine.org--------------------------------

The American Association for Palestinian Equal Rights (AAPER) is America's Pro-Palestine, Pro-Peace lobby. AAPER's mission is to educate the American public about Palestinian human and national rights, and about the role of the US in the Arab-Israeli relationship, and to shape a USforeign policy that recognizes and seeks to advance the human and national rights of the Palestinian people. Visit our site at http://americansforpalestine.org