(HARRISBURG, PA, 8/6/2025) – CAIR-Pennsylvania (The Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Chapters) today sent a letter to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro welcoming his call for dramatically increased humanitarian aid to Gaza while expressing concern about his use of talking points that reinforce the Israeli government’s false justifications for starving Gaza.
CAIR-Pennsylvania also encouraged Shapiro to reconsider his anti-Palestinian policies, such as mischaracterizing anti-genocide student protesters and using his tenure as Attorney General to target Ben and Jerry’s over its boycott of illegal Israeli settlements.
READ: CAIR-Pennsylvania Letter to Gov. Shapiro
SEE: Josh Shapiro joins national calls for aid in Gaza, says Netanyahu is ‘just wrong’ about starvation
The letter reads in part:
“… We welcome your public call for a dramatic increase in U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza and your clear condemnation of the starvation facing civilians in the besieged territory. Your recognition that such suffering must end is a positive and much-needed step.
“However, we must also express our concern with several aspects of your statement and urge immediate corrective action to ensure a more accurate, compassionate, and constructive public narrative…”
The letter continues to challenge Gov. Shapiro’s framing of the root cause as “aid-theft” and notes that while Gov. Shapiro’s criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is valid, CAIR-Pennsylvania is concerned that Gov. Shapiro’s framing “centers Palestinian suffering primarily as a diplomatic liability for Israel rather than as a moral and humanitarian crisis deserving empathy on its own terms.”
The letter also calls for a meeting with impacted Pennsylvanians where the agenda should include inclusive and transparent dialogue on topics such as:
- The harm caused by portraying Palestinians as terrorists;
- Respecting the First Amendment rights of those advocating for Palestinian lives and justice, including companies like Ben & Jerry’s;
- Addressing the chilling effect your past rhetoric has had on student activists across the state;
- Establishing a clear and consistent stance against genocide and collective punishment;
- Repealing Pennsylvania’s anti-boycott laws that infringe on constitutionally protected protest.
About CAIR-Pennsylvania
The Council on American-Islamic Relations Pennsylvania (CAIR-PA) is the premiere civil rights and advocacy organization serving Muslim communities across the state. We work to protect constitutional rights, foster civic engagement, and promote interfaith harmony.
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.
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CONTACT: CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet Tekelioglu, atekelioglu@cair.com, 617-401-5397; CAIR-Pittsburgh Executive Director Christine Mohamed, cmohamed@cair.com, 412-606-3601.
