The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on Congress to act after reports surfaced that Israel is conducting “religious cleansing” in Lebanon.
“Over the past two weeks, Israeli military officials have called leaders of at least eight villages and told them to expel Shiites who had sought refuge in their communities, municipal officials and local Christian, Druse and Shiite leaders said in interviews. All complied, fearing that if they did not their towns could be hit next in the Israeli bombardment, they said.”
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
“The demand by invading Israeli forces to expel Shia Muslims from villages indicates a deliberate effort to conduct religious cleansing, much like the ethnic cleansing already being carried out in Lebanon – just as it has been in Gaza. Such actions would constitute a grave violation of international humanitarian law and basic human and religious rights.
“Congress must not remain silent in the face of this religious cleansing. We urge lawmakers to publicly condemn any policies that target civilians based on ethnic or religious identity, and ensure that U.S. foreign policy reflects our nation’s commitment to human rights and justice.
“Our nation has a moral and legal obligation to oppose ethnic and religious cleansing regardless of where they occur or who is responsible.”
Earlier this week, CAIR similarly called on Congress to take immediate action to prevent U.S. funding of Israel’s planned occupation and ethnic cleansing of civilians in southern Lebanon following statements by Israeli officials indicating that it would occupy Lebanon up to the Litani River and would ethnically-cleanse the population.
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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 Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com