(WASHINGTON, D.C., 5/14/2023) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on American officials at the United Nations to take part in events Monday commemorating the 75th anniversary of the “Nakba,” the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people by Israeli forces.
According to the U.N., “This year marks the 75th anniversary of the mass displacement of Palestinians known as ‘the Nakba’ or ‘the Catastrophe’. The UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Nakba at UN Headquarters in New York.”
On Monday, there will be a High-Level Special Meeting and a Special Commemorative Event in the General Assembly Hall that “will bring to life the Palestinian journey and will aim at creating an immersive experience of the Nakba through live music, photos, videos, and personal testimonies.” The events are designed to recognize “the reality and history of the Palestinian people’s plight” and ensure “the fulfillment of their inalienable rights.”
15 May – Commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Nakba at UN Headquarters in New York
In a statement, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“These U.N. commemorative events mark an important milestone in international acknowledgement of the plight of the Palestinian people under occupation and their ongoing struggle for justice and freedom. Representatives of the United States should participate in these U.N. memorial events to demonstrate a commitment to uphold justice for all people, including Palestinians.”
Mitchell added that CAIR has urged all Americans to take part in its click-and-send action alert asking members of the U.S. House of Representatives to co-sponsor and support Congresswoman Betty McCollum’s (D-MN) recently reintroduced “Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act.” The bill is co-sponsored by 16 additional members of congress.
He also noted that CAIR recently welcomed a congressional letter led by Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), joined by 12 members of Congress, urging President Biden to better ensure the human rights of Palestinians and guarantee that U.S. military funding to the extreme right-wing apartheid Israeli government does not support human rights violations.
CAIR has previously called on the Biden administration to stand up to the new Israeli government composed of openly racist and genocidal far-right politicians.
Last year, CAIR welcomed an investigation by a UN commission of inquiry into the Israeli government’s system of apartheid against Palestinians.
In an open letter, five former European ministers labeled Israel’s policies against Palestinians as “the crime of apartheid.” Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Presbyterian Church USA have labeled Israel an apartheid state. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing also recognized that Israel is committing apartheid against Palestinians.
A group of Israeli law professors says changes introduced by the current far-right Israeli government “validate the claim that Israel practices apartheid.”
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, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com