The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the U.S. Department of State for “betraying and endangering” Americans kidnapped on the high seas by Israel as they sought to bring humanitarian aid to Palestinians suffering under Israel’s ongoing genocidal aid restrictions in Gaza.
Instead of condemning the kidnapping of Americans in international waters, the State Department condemned the flotilla as “baseless, counterproductive stunt organized by a sanctioned pro-Hamas entity” and said, “Our allies should take decisive action against this stunt, and participants should face any relevant legal consequences.”
In a statement, CAIR said:
“We strongly condemn the State Department for betraying and endangering the American citizens who were illegally kidnapped by the Israeli government while they traveled on a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla in international waters. Protecting the safety of Americans overseas should be a top priority of the State Department.
“By justifying the Israeli government’s piracy, smearing the Americans and other humanitarian activists on board as terrorists, and calling for them to face ‘consequences,’ the State Department gave Israel a greenlight to abuse and even torture American citizens in its custody, which is exactly what Israel did to Greta Thunberg and other kidnapped flotilla activists last time.
“By once again choosing the Israeli government over the American people, the State Department is acting as an extension of the Israeli Foreign Ministry. The Trump administration’s ‘Israel First’ foreign policy must end before more Americans die at the hands of the Israeli military.”
Yesterday, CAIR called on members of Congress to demand that Israel immediately release of the Gaza humanitarian flotilla activists, including American citizens, kidnapped in international waters in a “blatant” violation of international law. All but two participants have reportedly been released in Greece.
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CONTACT: 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