Press Release: Chicago Muslim, Palestinian Groups Refuse White House Meeting Over Lack on Policy Change on Gaza Genocide
(CHICAGO, IL, 3/14/2024) - A large group of American Muslim and Palestinian-American organizations and leaders in Chicago today sent a letter to White House officials explaining they are refusing to meet with them because of the administration's refusal to stop enabling the Israeli government's ongoing attacks on Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
“First, there is no point in more meetings. The White House already knows the position of the aforementioned groups and our allies across the nation. They know because we have made it abundantly clear, including in prior meetings with the White House, but also in press statements, letters to our elected leaders, media interviews, and enormous street action within earshot of the Oval Office. With a genocide that has flattened Gaza, forcibly displacing 85% of its residents, and claiming the lives of 31,000 people, 13,000 of whom are children, the White House has not only refused to call for a ceasefire, but also enabled this blatant campaign of ethnic cleansing to take place by providing financial and military means, as well as diplomatic support at the United Nations. A meeting of the minds is nowhere in sight.
“Second, there is no confusion as to our consistent demand for an immediate ceasefire to end the mass murder of civilians and stave off the worst humanitarian crisis in modern times. We believe another meeting would only act to whitewash months of White House inaction followed by meek handouts. We are interested in serious action. Offering a belated trickle of aid, whether air drops or temporary piers, to captive Palestinian civilians who continue to be shot like fish in a barrel, but remaining unwilling or unable to cease the killing is like dishing out Band-Aids with one hand, while wielding an axe with the other. Poll after poll shows that a clear majority of the American public supports a ceasefire, taking issue with the inaction of the White House and Congress. The people’s voices must be heard.”
The organizations that have signed on to the letter include:
American Muslims for Palestine (AMP-Chicago)
American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP)
CAIR-Chicago
Champaign-Urbana Muslim Action Committee
Coalition for Justice in Palestine
Doctors Against Genocide
Indian American Political Alliance
Muslim Bar Association of Chicago
Muslim Civic Coalition
Muslim Civic Coalition - Activate
Muslim Women’s Alliance Chicago
Muslim Writers Collective-Chicago
Al Nahda Center
Baitul Ilm
Muslims for Just Futures
Northwest Indiana Islamic Center
Orland United for Civic Responsibility
Palestinian American Community Center
Palestinian American Council
Springfield Families for Ceasefire
The Human Dignity Project
The Justice Coalition
The Sanctity Project
The United Holy Land Fund
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action (USCPR Action)
US Palestinian Community Network
Working Families Will County
Illinois State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid
Reem Townsend, DuPage Township Trustee
Yousif and Hanah Zegar
Omar Sulaiman
Ahmad Sulaiman
Vivian Khalaf
Aisha Ghori
Sufyan Sohel
Durdana Rahman
Furqan Mohammed, Esq.
Mohammed Lakhani
Ferass Safadi
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CONTACT: Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR Chicago, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com