The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today encouraged members of the public to support University of Maryland (UMD) Students for Justice in Palestine as they call on university officials to urge the Students Supporting Israel (SSI) chapter at UMD to cancel an upcoming event featuring Israeli soldiers who allegedly participated in combat operations in Gaza during the genocide.
SEE: UMD Students for Justice in Palestine petitions to cancel event with IDF soldiers – The Diamondback
UMD SJP is also calling on the university to adopt a policy committing to not platform entities and individuals who are found guilty or under investigation for genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity. The United Nations, Amnesty International, and THE Israeli human rights group BâTselem have all affirmed that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
Click, sign and send this letter to university administrators urging them to act now.
đ https://bit.ly/umdsafezone
Demand that they stand on the side of justice â not genocide.
Tell them: Protect studentsâ safety, health, and dignity. Donât platform war criminals.
In a statement, UMD SJP said:
“Israeli soldiers are participants in a military campaign so egregious that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has opened a genocide case against Israel. Their presence on campus is traumatizing to many and poses a threat to the safety and well-being especially of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and anti-genocide students.
“Israel has destroyed nearly every university and hospital in Gaza, executed educators, students, journalists, and healthcare workers, and imposed a man-made famine that has led to unimaginable suffering.
âOur campuses must be a sanctuary for learning, not a platform for war criminals.”
KEY DEMANDS MADE BY STUDENTS:
- Call on SSI to Cancel the Event: UMD must urge SSI to voluntarily cancel this event and protect fellow students from psychological harm and intimidation.
- Adopt a âNo Platform for War Criminalsâ Policy: The UMD administration must amend its Student Organization and Speaker Policy to prohibit invitations to individuals or entities:
- Found guilty of or under investigation by international courts or human rights bodies for genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity.
- Involved in any military, governmental, or corporate apparatus linked to such violations.
- Affirm Student Safety & Rights: UMD leadership must publicly reaffirm its commitment to ensuring a campus environment free from hate, intimidation, and complicity in state violence.
CAIRâs mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misiĂłn de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensiĂłn del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; 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; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com