On Friday, Feb. 2, the Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), public officials and community partners will hold a news conference in Ellicott City to demand that the Howard County Council restore public testimony at an upcoming hearing for County Resolution CR-22 2024 calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and to acknowledge the tremendous support for this measure by passing the resolution.
WHEN: Friday, February 2, 10:30 a.m. ET
WHERE: George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043
CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, 410-971-6062, zchaudry@cair.com
Legislative Session Video Streamed at 7 p.m.: https://cc.howardcountymd.gov/watch-us
Broadcast on channels 44 (Verizon) and 99 (Comcast)
SEE: CR22-2024 (Howard County Council)
CAIR was alerted that the resolution, which is scheduled to be introduced on Monday, Feb. 5, will be closed to public testimony and a vote is expected on the same day.
BACKGROUNDER:
The resolution was introduced by Councilmember Liz Walsh following a packed Howard County Human Rights Commission hearing earlier this month, attended by community members and constituents demanding the county to join the nearly 70 percent of Americans in supporting an end to Israel’s genocidal military campaign in Gaza that has killed almost 30,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, and decimated the region.
Hundreds more calls and letters to councilmembers have gained widespread attention following the introduction of a statewide ceasefire resolution cosponsored by eight state lawmakers in the Maryland General Assembly in mid-January.
Almost 30,000 letters have been sent by Marylanders to state lawmakers through an action alert sponsored by CAIR urging the House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee to pass HJ0002 Ceasefire Resolution out of committee and onto the House floor for a vote.
SEE: Action Alert: Help PASS Ceasefire Resolution in Maryland General Assembly
House Joint Resolution 0002
Introduced by Delegate Gabriel Acevero, and co-sponsored by Delegates Ashanti Martinez, Caylin Young, Tiffany Alston, Sheree Sample-Hughes, Kent Roberson, Veronica Turner, Diana Fennel, and Terri Hill, HJ0002 Supporting a Long-Term Ceasefire in Israel and Palestine acknowledges the humanity of Palestinians and Israelis, and aims to protect innocent lives and increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza which is experiencing one of the most dire humanitarian crises in modern history under the relentless assault by the genocidal Israeli military.
Recently, CAIR welcomed a ruling by the International Court of Justice, the United Nations’ highest court, that declared South Africa’s charge of genocide against the Israeli government plausible, allowed the case to proceed, and ordered the Israeli government to take various measures to prevent genocidal acts and report back to the ICJ in one month.
SEE: CAIR Welcomes UN Court Ruling on Gaza Genocide Charge Against Israel
CAIR also recently welcomed U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen’s (D-Md.) call for a ceasefire.
CAIR joined IMAN Network, families from Gaza and state lawmakers at a news conference on Lawyers’ Mall to urge support for HJ0002.
Since Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza began, it has destroyed entire residential neighborhoods and critical infrastructure. Human rights organizations and advocates from all over the world have stated that Israel is depriving Gazans of food, water, electricity, and medicine while also indiscriminately dropping bombs on homes, hospitals, bakeries, schools, mosques, churches, and even refugee camps in Gaza, which amount to war crimes.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, 410-971-6062, zchaudry@cair.com