John,

Nine human rights and community organizations planned an event this week to recognize the Nakba on Capitol Hill. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy tried to silence them and the Palestinian Americans who came to share their stories of survival and pain.

The Nakba (Arabic for “catastrophe”) refers to the mass expulsion of Palestinians from their homes and homeland that began 75 years ago during the creation of the state of Israel. In 1948, militias massacred thousands of Indigenous Palestinians and violently displaced three-quarters of the Palestinian population—nearly 800,000 people. The Nakba is a well-documented historical fact and will be recognized by an event at the United Nations next week.

In an attempt to suppress the truth and silence Palestinian voices, McCarthy tried to stop the event by blocking the use of the auditorium it was planned for. But he failed to silence those voices or their truth, as the event proceeded in a different location with a packed, standing-room-only audience.

The Speaker should be focused on the fact that more than 20 veterans organizations have come out opposed to his debt ceiling proposal because it cuts their health benefits, or the fact that one of his Members was just arrested on 13 federal corruption charges.

No matter the constant targeting and bullying by extremists in Congress, we must speak out louder than ever about the ongoing injustices here at home and abroad.

The U.S. government enables and perpetuates the Israeli government’s war crimes and massacres with U.S.-made weapons and billions in unconditional funding.

This horrific status quo rests on powerful attempts to silence Palestinian voices. The U.S. Congress and elected officials across the country have even tried to criminalize criticism of Israel’s apartheid regime. But we cannot be silent. We must speak out to recognize the ongoing Nakba and call for Palestinian liberation.

Please stand up to U.S. and Israeli attempts to silence and erase Palestinians. Chip in what you can to Rashida’s campaign today, as she continues to educate her colleagues and speak up in Congress against apartheid.

With Nakba Day coming up, grassroots groups across the U.S. are planning actions, community gatherings, and other commemorations to mark 75 years of the Nakba. There may be an event near you within the next few days.

In solidarity,

Team Rashida