(ATLANTA, GA. 10/12/2023): The Georgia chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization today condemns the recent and ongoing killing of civilians in Palestine and Israel, calls for our political leaders to do the same, and reaffirms the Georgia Muslim community’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their right to freedom from the Israeli occupation. We are heartbroken by the recent violence and loss of life. Targeting civilians, whether they are Palestinian, Israeli, American, or any other nationality, is wrong and must stop. At this time we call for:
- An immediate ceasefire to prevent further loss of life on either side.
- An immediate lifting of the siege on Gaza and for water, food, and fuel to be made available to the blockaded people
- The United States government to exert pressure on Israel to address the root cause of these repeated cycles of violence – the occupation of Palestinian lands.
We cannot imagine the fear of Palestinian civilians whose neighborhoods are being bombed. We cannot imagine the desperation of Israeli parents whose children have been kidnapped. War always hurts civilians the most. We urge an immediate ceasefire.
This most recent outbreak of violence did not occur in a vacuum. Unbridled support from the U.S government has emboldened the Israeli government to adopt policies that further extremism and deepen entrenchment of the conflict. As of September of this year, Israeli forces had killed more than 200 Palestinians in 2023 alone, the highest death toll since 2005. Now, millions of Palestinians face indiscriminate bombing and an inhumane blockade. We denounce the siege of Gaza and the blocking of essential resources like food, fuel, water, and medicine and call for it to be lifted immediately.
The U.S government’s limitless support to Israel with no accountability for their longstanding crimes against Palestinians plays a major role in this conflict. We call upon the United States government, which provides extraordinary military, economic, and political support to Israel, to exert pressure on the occupying regime to move towards meaningful peace. To achieve stability in the region, a serious reevaluation of a fair and balanced policy is imperative, and the U.S government holds the power to do so.
The absence of violence is not peace – the prevalence of justice is. The status quo does not serve the Israeli or Palestinian people, both of whom will live lives marked by violence and fear until a lasting peace can be secured. Everyone deserves peace and security. Everyone deserves freedom and dignity. We pray for the day when this conflict will no longer seem intractable, and we pray for the day when it will be a distant memory. We pray for all those caught in the crossfire. We pray our leaders will have the courage and clarity needed to get us there. May Allah (SWT) be with us all.
CAIR-Georgia’s mission is to protect civil rights, promote justice, empower American Muslims, and enhance the understanding of Islam.
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CONTACT: Azka Mahmood, CAIR-Georgia Interim Executive Director, azkatmahmood@cair.com, 678 653 5822; Megan Gordon, CAIR-Georgia Policy Director, [email protected], 678 431 4716