Civil rights group thanks community for taking swift action, sending 6K+ letters opposing speaker
The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today thanked community members for swiftly taking action to successfully call on the University of Maryland School of Medicine to cancel an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) representative who was scheduled to speak during this Thursday’s Surgery Grand Rounds on the topic of “advancing care, saving lives and improving outcomes.”
Responses to a letter campaign led by CAIR and the Islamic Maryland Action Network (IMAN Network), a statewide crisis response working group comprised of 30+ mosques and organizations, led to over 6,000 emails delivered in a matter of hours to the University’s Surgery Department Chair and Dean urging them to rescind this speaker invitation.
SEE: ACT NOW: Demand UMD School of Medicine Drop Israeli Military Rep. as Surgery Grand Rounds Speaker
“We commend UMSOM for listening to their students and campus community and retracting this invitation,” said CAIR Maryland’s Director, Zainab Chaudry. “Providing a platform to a representative of the Israeli Defense Forces – an entity directly responsible for the ongoing genocide and targeting of healthcare workers in Gaza – to speak on the topic of saving lives is egregious and fundamentally at odds with the principles of medical ethics and human rights. This swift community response demonstrates the power of collective action to uphold justice and accountability.”
BACKGROUND:
The University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMDSOM) Department of Surgery invited a representative of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Elon Glassberg, to speak at its Surgery Grand Rounds on Thursday, January 16, 2025. This invitation was issued at a time when the Israeli military has been actively bombing hospitals in Gaza, has murdered or detained hundreds of healthcare workers including the Director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, and is committing genocide as established by reputable international human rights groups including Amnesty International.
CAIR has urged the American Medical Association (AMA) to call for the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, who is reportedly held in a detention center notorious for torturing prisoners.
SEE: CAIR Action Alert: Demand AMA Call for the Release of Gaza Hospital Director Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya Now Held in Israeli Torture Center
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) called for the intervention of Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the Israeli kidnapping of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a top Palestinian physician serving victims of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza genocide.
A group of nations led by South Africa have filed a case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is America’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
The Islamic Maryland Action Network (IMAN) is a statewide crisis response working group that represents over 350,000 Muslims in the state. Members include over two dozen mosques and Muslim organizations.
SEE: IMAN Network
The IMAN Network’s mission is to foster a coordinated, compassionate, and effective response to crises, uniting diverse Muslim communities across the state.
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CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kimberly Syuardi, ksyuardi@cair.com, 202-850-9293