CAIR- Pennsylvania Welcomes Congress Members' Decision to Boycott Netanyahu's Speech
(PITTSBURGH/PHILADELPHIA, PA, 7/25/24) – The Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., welcome Congress members’ decision to boycott Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech today to Congress. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to Congress, has been widely criticized. following the recent International Court of Justice ruling that deemed Israel’s settlement policies and exploitation of natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territories unlawful and called for their cessation. CAIR has welcomed this ruling by the World Court. Several Congress members, including Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA), Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA), and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) have decided to boycott the Prime Minister. SEE: Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) says she will boycott Netanyahu’s address to Congress In a statement, Dr. Ahmet Tekelioglu, Executive Director of CAIR- Philadelphia said: “Boycotting the politically-charged address of a right-wing war criminal should be a no brainer. Any person of conscience and moral clarity will attest to this speech itself as a black mark in congressional history. We applaud PA lawmakers who refused to partake in today’s address by criminal Netanyahu.” Christine Mohamed, Executive Director of CAIR-Pittsburgh, added: “We commend Congress members for their courageous decision to stand up for human rights and justice by choosing not to attend Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address. Their refusal to condone the inhumane and genocidal actions against the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank reflects their unwavering commitment to peace and humanity. In these times, our leaders need to take principled stands against oppression and violence, and their actions exemplify the moral leadership we need.” Earlier this week, CAIR called on all community members, allies, and advocates for justice to join a mass protest of Israeli war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Congress on Wednesday, July 24th. SEE: CAIR Community Advisory: Join Mass DC Protest of Netanyahu’s Visit to Congress on July 24th Israel has already killed nearly 40,000 people, the majority of whom are women and children in Gaza and has devastated much of the civilian infrastructure through a campaign characterized by ethnic cleansing, forced starvation, and genocide. CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. 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. END Contact: CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet Tekelioglu, PhD., atekelioglu@cair.com, 617-401-5397; CAIR-Pittsburgh Executive Director Christine Mohamed, cmohamed@cair.com, 412-606-3601 |
