(WASHINGTON, DC – 11/14/2023) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the Biden administration to condemn the now open call for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza by top Israeli officials.
A senior member of Israel’s government said it would be better for Palestinians there to leave for other countries. That call for ethnic cleansing of Gaza echoed a similar call by two members of the Israeli parliament who wrote in a Wall Street Journal editorial that Gazans should relocate to other countries.
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad, who is of Palestinian heritage, said:
“We ask President Biden to finally acknowledge what the world has known and witnessed – that Israel is engaged in a genocidal campaign of ethnic cleansing targeting all the Palestinian people – whether in Gaza or other occupied Palestinian land. Silence on this issue, and continuing silence on Israel’s campaign of genocide in Gaza, will long be remembered not only by Palestinians and Muslims worldwide, but also by all people who value human rights and dignity.
“There must be an immediate ceasefire so that humanitarian aid can flow to the people of Gaza suffering under this genocidal campaign.”
This latest call for ethnic cleansing and collective punishment by Israeli officials is not new.
Israeli President Herzog declared, “It is an entire nation out there that is responsible. It is not true this rhetoric about civilians not being aware, not involved. It’s absolutely not true.”
The Israeli defense minister said that the government was justified in cutting off water, electricity and other basic necessities to all Palestinians because Israel is fighting “human animals.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the mass bombing of Gaza by referencing ancient biblical verse about the mass slaughter of an entire city from animals to infants.
The Israeli government also demanded a million residents of northern Gaza leave their homes or face death, an act of ethnic cleansing. An Israeli military spokesperson admitted that the aim of the bombing in Gaza was destruction rather than accuracy.
Yesterday, CAIR welcomed an internal State Department dissent memo accusing President Biden of “spreading misinformation” about Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian people and stating that Israel is committing “war crimes” in Gaza.
Over the weekend, CAIR called on the Biden administration to urgently intervene to stop the Israeli government’s ongoing siege of Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
CAIR said the Biden administration shares the blame for the latest Israeli massacre of Palestinian civilians sheltering at a school in Gaza and for its attacks targeting hospitals in Gaza.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR called a threat by the Israeli government to bomb a children’s hospital in Gaza “pure barbarism” and reiterated its call on the Biden administration to demand an immediate ceasefire. CAIR also condemned the shooting of Palestinian woman at a checkpoint by Israeli forces and Israeli airstrikes on South Gaza.
[NOTE: Almost 100,000 Americans have used CAIR’s action alert to contact their members of Congress and call for an end to the violence and the renewal of U.S.-led efforts to end the occupation. SEE: Urge Your Members of Congress to Address Root Cause of Mideast Violence]
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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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, 202-999-8292, 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