Join the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, in urging the U.S. House Representatives to cosponsor and support H.Res. 409, a resolution introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) recognizing the 77th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba and affirming the rights of Palestinian refugees.
👉 TAKE ACTION: Urge your U.S. House Representative to support H.Res. 409 and recognize the Nakba.
The Nakba, or “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the mass expulsion and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians during the creation of the state of Israel between 1947 and 1949. More than 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced, over 530 villages destroyed, and more than 15,000 people killed.
CAIR stresses that the Nakba is not a relic of the past, but a living reality. Today, Israel continues to expand illegal settlements, demolish Palestinian homes, and deny basic human rights. Since October 2023, Israel’s military assault on Gaza has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in what global human rights groups are calling a genocide.
H.Res. 409, introduced by Rep. Tlaib and cosponsored by Reps. André Carson, Summer Lee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Delia Ramirez, Lateefah Simon, and Bonnie Watson Coleman:
- Recognizes the Nakba and its ongoing consequences.
- Supports the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes as affirmed by international law.
- Calls on Congress to reinstate U.S. support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides critical aid to Palestinians.
CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad, who is of Palestinian heritage, said:
“The Nakba never ended. It continues today through Israel’s siege, forced starvation, mass destruction, ethnic cleansing, and slaughter of the Palestinian people. Rep. Tlaib’s resolution affirms truth and justice. Congress must not remain silent in the face of genocide. It must support H.Res. 409 and affirm the dignity, rights, and humanity of Palestinians.”
The resolution is backed by dozens of national civil and human rights organizations, faith groups, peace advocates, and Jewish and interfaith allies who believe that justice and accountability are essential for a lasting peace. Recognizing the Nakba in the halls of Congress is a necessary step toward ending U.S. complicity in Israel’s ongoing violations of international law and human rights, and toward building a foreign policy rooted in equality and dignity for all people.
CAIR encourages all people of conscience to stand against genocide, apartheid, and occupation, and to support truth, accountability, and human rights for all.
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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