On Tuesday, January 21, the Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, joined advocates at a Anne Arundel County Council hearing in Annapolis urging councilmembers to break their silence on Israel’s genocide in Gaza and take meaningful action to end public funding for groups and organizations that are complicit in its human rights violations.
During the council meeting, community members and human rights advocates highlighted the urgent need for local leadership to speak out against the atrocities in Gaza, where up to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, including journalists, aid workers and medical workers, have been killed, displaced, or left without access to essential resources due to the ongoing blockade and military actions. Witnesses urged council members to press congressional representatives to support increased humanitarian aid and an arms embargo on weapons transfers to Israel.
“Remaining silent in the face of genocide is unacceptable. The Anne Arundel County Council has a moral obligation to condemn these atrocities and stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza,” said CAIR’s Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kimberly Syuardi, who testified on behalf of CAIR. “As local leaders, they have the power to amplify calls for justice and ensure that the voices of their constituents demanding an end to this human suffering are heard.”
CAIR continues to work with other advocacy groups and community members to mobilize efforts in support of human rights and justice for Gaza. The organization calls on other local government bodies to take a similar stance in denouncing the ongoing violence and advocating for an end to the crisis.
CAIR is urging residents to contact their elected officials to demand immediate action, including support for humanitarian aid to Gaza and accountability for those responsible for war crimes.
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.
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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