The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a letter sent to Secretary Blinken – led by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) – and including 23 other members of Congress expressing their concern for the high death toll of journalists and significant challenges to press freedom in Gaza.
The letter was signed by the following members of Congress: Reps. Beyer (D-VA), Blumenauer (D-OR), Carson (D-IN), Castro (D-TX), Chu (D-CA), Cohen (D-TN), Dean (D-PA), Doggett (D-TX), Frost (D-TX), Grijalva (D-AZ), Jacobs (D-CA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Keating (D-MA), Khanna (D-CA), Kildee (D-MI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Lofgren (D-CA), McGovern (D-MA), Norton (D-DC), Quigley (D-IL), Raskin (D-MD), and Watson Coleman (D-NJ).
The letter stated in part:
“With more journalists killed in three months than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year, we remain concerned that not enough steps have been taken to safeguard the lives of the civilian population in Gaza, including journalists.”
SEE: Connolly, Schakowsky Lead Letter to Blinken on Press Freedom and Protection of Journalists in Gaza
The letter comes as more than 50 UK-based journalists sent an open letter to the Israeli and Egyptian embassies calling for “free and unfettered access” to Gaza for foreign media.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Department Director Robert McCaw said,
“As Israel’s far-right government continues to carry out the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, the war is claiming the lives of innocent journalists at an alarming rate. The Biden administration cannot continue to turn a blind eye to Israeli war crimes. Now is the time for concrete measures to ensure the safety and freedom of the press in the region.”
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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