Council Hearing Scheduled for Today at 1:30pm
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is urging all people of conscience to urge Maryland officials not to support companies that enable genocide.
This afternoon, the Montgomery County Council is holding a preliminary vote to allocate $45,831 to the Maryland Israel Development Center (MIDC). This organization serves as the broker to bring Israeli companies including weapons manufacturers into Maryland.
The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is urging the community to:
- ACT NOW to click, sign, send and share this action alert to the councilmembers urging them to vote NO on this measure: bit.ly/defundmidc
- Attend the council hearing today, Friday, May 9 at 1:30pm at 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD. Bring a sign (i.e. Drop the MIDC, Silence is Violence)TAKE ACTION: #DroptheMIDC Campaign
Why This Matters
The Maryland Israel Development Center (MIDC) serves as the broker to bring Israeli companies into Maryland, many of which are weapons manufacturers. The State of Maryland provides the MIDC with grants and special privileges. Two of the “companies” (Elta North America and Rafael) are part of the Israeli military itself. To learn more, watch this video from Peace Action Montgomery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNfwoaMVjJA
Amnesty International, an international human rights NGO with over 10 million members, has disclosed findings of their report declaring Israel is in fact committing genocide.
JOIN CAIR in calling on the State of Maryland to end public funding for MIDC.
Maryland must ensure that no public funds support institutions or entities tied to Israel’s military-industrial complex, such as the MIDC. Maryland taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize a regime that is committing atrocities against infants, patients, medical workers, civilians, journalists and aid workers.
The State of Maryland and all of its agencies and counties should end all grants and privileges provided to the MIDC and ensure that leadership demonstrates and reflects values of justice, human dignity, and equality.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, 410-971-6062, zchaudry@cair.com; CAIR Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kim Syuardi, ksyuardi@cair.com, 202-850-9293; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com