Muslim former U.S. officials who resigned over the Biden administration’s Gaza stance to speak on the bigotry behind government policy
On Tuesday, Aug. 27 (12:30 p.m. ET), the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) plans to host a live virtual event featuring interviews with American Muslim former government officials who resigned from the Biden administration in response to its policies on Gaza. The former officials plan to discuss their perspectives on the role that anti-Palestinian racism and anti-Muslim bigotry have played in influencing U.S. policy toward the Middle East, including the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
“We look forward to an illuminating conversation with American Muslim government officials who resigned from the Biden administration in protest of its support for the Gaza genocide,” CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said. “It is critical for the public to learn about the extent to which anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia play a role behind-the-scenes in influencing the Biden administration’s policies toward the Middle East, including Gaza.”
Registration:Click here to register.
[NOTE: REPORTERS WHO WISH TO ATTEND, APPEAR ON SCREEN, AND ASK QUESTIONS OF THE FORMER OFFICIALS SHOULD REGISTER AND THEN EMAIL CAIR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER ISMAIL ALLISON AT IALLISON@CAIR.COM TO REQUEST VIP ACCESS]
Titled “Muslim Resignees Speak: How Islamophobia & Anti-Palestinian Racism Fuel Biden Administration’s Gaza Policy,” the event features Maryam Hassanein, a former Biden administration political appointee, and Hala Rharrit, a former career American diplomat. Both former U.S. officials resigned from their positions in protest of the Biden administration’s support for the Israeli government’s war crimes in Gaza.
EVENT DETAILS:
Title: Muslim Resignees Speak: How Islamophobia & Anti-Palestinian Racism Fuel Biden Administration’s Gaza Policy
Date: August 27, 2024
Time: 12:30 PM (ET) / 11:30 AM (CT) / 10:30 AM (MT) / 9:30 AM (PT)
Location: Online
Registration:Click here to register.
About the Speakers:
Maryam Hassanein: Served as a political appointee in the Biden administration at the Department of the Interior, where she was a Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management. Inspired by the student movement, she resigned on July 2, 2024, in opposition to the administration’s handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict and its harmful impact on Palestinians. She is the youngest to resign so far and the first Muslim appointee to resign. Prior to joining the administration, Hassanein worked on Capitol Hill in a Democratic member’s office, managing a diverse portfolio that included environment and energy, religious liberty, and international human rights. She holds a B.S. in Justice Studies with a minor in Social Welfare from Arizona State University.
SEE: Third Biden Admin Appointee Quits Over Gaza Policy | HuffPost Latest News
Hala Rharrit is a former career American diplomat with deep expertise in the Middle East. She joined the Foreign Service in 2006 as a political officer, with notable assignments including Political and Human Rights Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen; Deputy Chief of the Political/Economic Section at the U.S. Embassy in Doha, Qatar; and Political/Economic Chief at the U.S. Consulate in Durban, South Africa. Most recently, she served as an Arabic Language Spokesperson for the State Department at the Regional Media Hub at the U.S. Consulate in Dubai, UAE. In April 2024, Rharrit became the first American diplomat to publicly resign in protest of the Biden administration’s Gaza policy, condemning it as a failed, illegal, and inhumane militaristic strategy. She earned a master’s degree from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, concentrating on Arab Studies, and an undergraduate degree in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies from George Washington University’s Elliott School.
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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