CAIR-Houston Withdraws Support from Annual Houston Mayor’s Ramadan Iftar Over Failure to Call for Gaza Ceasefire

The Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Houston) today announced its decision to withdraw support from the Houston Mayor’s Iftar, featuring Houston Mayor John Whitmire as the keynote speaker, following the mayor’s failure to call for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The Houston Mayor’s Iftar, or fast-breaking meal, is scheduled for Sunday, March 17, 2024.

SEE: Open letter to Mayor Whitmire 

https://www.facebook.com/cair.tx.houston/posts/pfbid02PxV1AFbwuf76H3hknLd6u253RUbtEFDdz1b551o6GZ4vTsnt76tAZzeMjyftg8oil?notif_id=1710366428758343&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif

Despite consistent pleas before city council from Palestinian youth and others from diverse backgrounds for a ceasefire, Mayor Whitmire has refrained from taking a stand for peace and urging an immediate ceasefire in the conflict that has resulted in immense suffering for innocent civilians.

Israel has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and a number of children have died of the Israeli-imposed famine in Gaza.

CAIR-Houston believes that silence in such humanitarian crises is tantamount to complicity. The civil rights organization has twice raised the issue of the ceasefire directly to Mayor Whitmire during City Hall public forums and via email. Despite these efforts, the mayor has not taken decisive action to address the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza.  More than 20 Muslim organizations have joined the demand for “No Ceasefire-No Iftar” and have withdrawn from the event.

William White, Director of CAIR-Houston, stated, “As an organization dedicated to promoting justice and advocating for the rights of all people, we cannot in good conscience support an event hosted by an individual who chooses to remain silent in the face of human suffering. The failure to call for a ceasefire disregards the lives of countless civilians caught in the crossfire.”

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: William White, Director, CAIR-Houston, 713-254-2016, w-white@cair.com; John Floyd, CAIR-Houston Board Member, 713-224-0101,  jfloyd@johntfloyd.com