Israel to vaccinate soldiers, but not civilian population, after polio found in wastewater of devastated Gaza sewage system
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the Biden administration to take action to prevent the spread of polio in Gaza after the virus has been detected in wastewater after the sewage system was devasted by Israel’s ongoing U.S.-enabled genocide.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that polio virus has been found in at least six wastewater samples in Gaza. Israel’s military said it will start offering the polio vaccine to soldiers serving in Gaza but did not announce a campaign to vaccinate the civilian population impacted by its destruction of the area’s infrastructure and medical facilities.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote:
“The decimation of the health system, lack of security, access obstruction, constant population displacement, shortages of medical supplies, poor quality of water and weakened sanitation are increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio. This poses a risk for children and creates the perfect environment for diseases like polio to spread. A ceasefire is essential to allow an effective response.”
Israel has already slaughtered almost 40,000 people, mostly women and children in Gaza, and destroyed much of the civilian infrastructure.
In a statement, CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said:
“Having enabled the wholesale destruction of civilian infrastructure and medical facilities in Gaza, the Biden administration has a duty to ensure that polio vaccines reach all those who need to be vaccinated. This is only possible with an immediate and permanent ceasefire to both stop the genocide and prevent the outbreak of polio and other diseases. The suffering of the Palestinian people must come to an end.”
On Friday, CAIR condemned a threat by House Speaker Mike Johnson to arrest lawmakers who protest far-right Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress next week.
He added that CAIR issued and action alert for Americans to call on members of Congress to boycott or protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to a joint session of Congress on July 24th due to his openly racist views, genocidal war crimes, disrespect for the United States, and opposition to a Palestinian state.
Also on Friday, CAIR welcomed a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), or World Court, that Israel’s settlement policies and exploitation of natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territories is unlawful and must end.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant within the next two weeks.
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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: 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