The Council Condemns Israel's Massacre of Palestinians in Gaza

PRESS RELEASE

Last Modified: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:20:10 GMT v1.008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 29, 2009

The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (the Council) condemns Israel's military campaign in the blockaded Gaza Strip. The Council is appalled by this use of state terror, the most recent instance beginning on December 27, initiated just as Palestinian children were leaving their schools, and directly causing maximum casualties with over 300 civilians being killed so far.

“The Israelis have once again chosen to stage their assault when Western governments are in the midst of a holiday season”, said Abdul Malik Mujahid, Chairman of the Council. "We call on President-elect Obama as well as President Bush to take a firm stand against this disgraceful attack and ask for an immediate end” he added.

Over the past 16 years the Council has formed strong relationships with religious and community organizations throughout Illinois. The Council is calling upon its partners and friends and all people of conscience to step forward and work immediately to halt the Israeli assault on Gaza and to lift the blockade against the Palestinians of Gaza.

“This excessive and wanton use of force further exacerbates a debilitating blockade of the Palestinians in Gaza over the past 6 months” noted Zaher Sahloul, Chair-Elect of the Council. “We call upon our interfaith partners, including those in the Jewish community, to condemn the killing of innocent Palestinian civilians by the Israeli army with the strongest language and without reservation.”

The Council also calls upon the Egyptian government to announce permanent open food access to Gaza. It is shameful that Egypt has joined Israel in the starvation of Gaza in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention. It is important to note that the current invasion has come just days after Israel denied entry to the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights to the Occupied Palestinian Territories and this suggests that the Israeli leadership clearly intended to conceal the evidence of its war crimes.

“We are calling upon all of our member organizations to engage the American Muslim community and their many interfaith and community partners to actively advocate for a fair and balanced policy by our government towards the Israelis and Palestinians” commented Junaid M. Afeef, the Council’s Executive Director. “This attack, coming on the eve of a new administration in the U.S. is a wake-up call for all Americans to re-engage our elected officials locally to convince them that human rights of all is an American priority.”

The Council demands an immediate end to the Israel’s excessive and brutal assault on the Palestinians struggling to survive in Gaza, and for Israel’s full compliance with all international resolutions.

Action Items:

Call Senator Dick Durbin at (312) 353-4952 and politely and firmly express to him that you want the U.S. to call upon Israel to halt its excessive and brutal assault on the Palestinian people of Gaza;
Call Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at (202) 647-4000 and politely and firmly insist upon the U.S. following the lead of the United Nations and the European Union in condemning Israel’s use of force against the Palestinian people of Gaza;
Call Egyptian Ambassador Sameh Shoukry and politely and firmly insist that Egypt permanently open its border with Gaza to allow food and medicine to pass through to the suffering Palestinians of Gaza;
Visit the Council’s website regularly for updates on further action items you can participate in to make a real difference in the lives of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Contact:

Janaan Hashim, Esq.
CIOGC
Spokesperson
(312) 218-4961 (c)
janaan@ciogc.org

END