The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today condemned the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) Board of Education’s 3-2 vote to display the Israeli flag at all district schools and facilities, calling the move a “divisive and political statement.” CAIR-LA also urged the school board to reconsider its vote.
SEE: Beverly Hills public schools will display Israeli flag in bid to fight antisemitism
The resolution also adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s working definition of antisemitism, which conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism, and has been rejected by more than 100 international bodies and civil society organizations for undermining free speech and shielding Israel from accountability.
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“By prioritizing symbolic displays of allegiance to Israel—a foreign state accused by every major international human rights organization of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and forced starvation in Gaza—over the lived experiences of grieving Palestinian and Arab students, the board has chosen to make a divisive political statement and undermine the inclusive environment schools are supposed to uphold. These students will now face the daily trauma of seeing the flag of the very state killing their families flown over their schools.
“To truly address antisemitism, BHUSD must invest in real education about antisemitism and all forms of bigotry, rather than equating Jewish faith and identity with the political actions of a foreign government.”
He also noted that, while the board rushes to display Israel’s flag, it showed no equal urgency in displaying the Palestinian flag in support of American Palestinian students who have also experienced an increase in bullying, hate, and marginalization in school since Oct. 7, 2023.
CAIR-LA urged the school board to reconsider its vote and meet with diverse students and human rights advocates, including Jewish and Muslim community members, to gain a deeper and more balanced perspective on what the Israeli flag represents on the global stage.
CAIR-LA recently condemned the recent antisemitic vandalism targeting an elementary school in Los Angeles. It also called on the Los Angeles Police Department to investigate the incident as a possible hate crime.
CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com