The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the Biden administration to demand that Israel’s far-right government explain why Dr. Iyad Rantisi died under interrogation a week after he was detained by Israeli intelligence services.
Dr. Rantisi ran a women’s hospital in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza. According to Haaretz, he died at the Shikma prison, a Shin Bet interrogation facility in southern Israel.
Earlier this month, CAIR called on the Biden administration to condemn the reported rape and torture of Palestinian detainees held by Israel’s far-right government.
More than 37,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been slaughtered by Israel.
In a statement, CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said:
“As the main international enabler of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, the Biden administration must demand a public explanation of how Dr. Rantisi died. If as suspected, he died under Israeli torture, this is one more reason why the Biden administration should immediately act to end its support for Israeli war crimes and demand that the perpetrators be held accountable.”
He noted that earlier this year, CAIR condemned the Israeli torture of another Palestinian doctor in Gaza and has repeatedly condemned Israel’s campaign of extermination, torture, forced starvation, and ethnic cleansing in Gaza.
Yesterday, CAIR said that an Associated Press (AP) investigation showing that the far-right Israeli government’s attacks on Gaza have wiped out “entire Palestinian families” once again proves Israel’s genocidal intent.
Over the weekend, CAIR condemned what it called the latest “Israeli war crimes of the day” after a UNICEF official said he witnessed the execution of two Palestinian fishermen by Israeli forces.
CAIR also condemned the apparent systematic destruction of housing, health facilities and water wells in Gaza by Israeli forces. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says less than on-third of health facilities are operational. The Palestine Red Crescent Society says 498 medical personnel have been killed by Israel. Video shows Israeli bulldozers demolishing homes west of Rafah that were already partially damaged by Israeli attacks.
Last week, CAIR condemned the malicious destruction by an Israeli soldier of a Gaza home shown in a video posted online.
CAIR also condemned the starvation death of Mustafa Hijazi, who reportedly died today as a result of the US-backed Israeli campaign of forced starvation, ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza. He was one of thousands of Gaza children starving because of the US-back Israeli genocide in Gaza. Israel has slaughtered more than 37,000 Gazans, mostly women and children.
Also last week, CAIR welcomed US sanctions on an Israeli extremist group that blocked humanitarian aid from being sent to Gaza and urged the Biden administration to go further and sanction the Israeli government for its forced starvation of Palestinians in Gaza and its campaign of genocide.
SEE: Palestinian children battle a deadly foe in Gaza — starvation – NBC
CAIR also called on the Biden administration to stop enabling and backing the starvation of children in Gaza by the far-right Israeli government.
SEE: CAIR Calls on Biden Admin to End Support for Starvation of Children in Gaza
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@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