Dear Friend,

I am hurting right now. I know you are too. There is no way to witness the carnage of Palestinian families murdered by indiscriminate bombings or the massacre of Israeli families in their homes without hurting. We all grieve the killing of innocent people.

We have another deep pain though. We know the suffering did not begin on October 7th when Hamas attacked Israel. We also know violence in the region will not end until Palestinians live with full self-determination, justice, and freedom.

Being an Arab American is not always easy in America. What is happening right now—what we see in our media, what we hear from some in our government, the isolation some of us are facing at work or school—is one of those times. As if we have some connection to Hamas, we are asked to condemn its terrorism before we can speak of Palestinian liberation or suffering. If we speak of terrorism committed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, we are falsely accused of being anti-Jewish and engaging in antisemitism. This is the dystopian reality we face when advocating for the just cause of the Palestinian people. Even more surreal, any attempt to contextualize what is happening right now is met with anger and patently dishonest charges of immorality.

Acknowledging all of that, I am putting down some markers:

We unequivocally condemn the targeting of Israeli civilians, including the brutal killings and the taking of hostages. What is happening appears to meet the definition of war crimes.
We unequivocally condemn the targeting of Palestinian civilians, including the collective punishment of halting water and electricity supplies, the merciless bombings of Gaza and the violent attacks occurring in the West Bank. What is happening appears to meet the definition of war crimes.
We recognize the context of this latest violence. That context includes the 75-year dispossession of the Palestinian people, the 56-year occupation of the Palestinian people in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the 16-year siege of the Palestinian people living in Gaza.

I know that last point is a difficult one for some to hear but it is an undeniable truth—one that is illustrative of how we have collectively failed the Palestinian people.

When some disingenuously asked where is the “Palestinian Gandhi,” we highlighted the many Palestinians who pursued various nonviolent means to resist their brutal occupation, from calls to boycott, divest, and sanction Israel to pursuing the legitimate means available to them at the United Nations, including the International Criminal Court. The American and Israeli response has been to condemn such non-violent efforts, attack Palestinian civil society, label them antisemitic, and try to restrict First Amendment protected speech here in the U.S. in support of them. If one honestly examines America’s approach to Palestinian human rights, our policy seems to be opposition to any form of resistance to the occupation.

Now, as Americans, we find ourselves here and not as benign observers. In addition to our billions in military assistance to Israel, our elected officials are standing next to Israeli officials at press conferences where sometimes the observance of international law is mentioned while, at the same time, war crimes are described as military strategy. Calls for genocide are excused and even met with support. And there have been calls to censure a member of Congress, but not the Senator who said, “level the place,” or the Congressman who wore his Israeli military uniform in the halls of Congress. Censure is discussed for the sole Arab American of Palestinian descent in Congress, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib who said, “I grieve the Palestinian and Israeli lives lost yesterday, today, and every day.”

For those of us who understand the context that got us here—particularly our Arab American kids who are joined by young people from the American Jewish community, the Black community, the Muslim community and so many others—we mourn the loss of Israeli and Palestinian lives while also supporting an end to the occupation. That some are trying to silence us by comparing pro-Palestinian voices today to support for Nazis in the 1930s is all you need to know about how morally bankrupt the mainstream discourse is. And this dehumanization leaves us even more vulnerable to bias, discrimination, and violence. It is difficult for me to write that, but that is this moment.

This is a lot, but I also want you to know what we are doing in response. We have been talking with the White House, the State Department, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Education to express our concerns and to demand our community is protected. Central to all those conversations are the following points and how you may amplify them:

Palestinian loss of life must be acknowledged and prevented. Without an immediate change in policy, it is not hyperbole to say the United States is supporting or facilitating Israeli ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. We sent a letter to President Biden last week requesting an emergency Arab American meeting with him. We continue to follow up on that request while communicating our concerns. You can support this point by using this action alert to contact the White House now.

According to US government sources, there are 500-600 Palestinian Americans in Gaza and anywhere from 30,000 to 40,000 in the West Bank. Just as the U.S. is aiding the evacuation of Americans from Israel, we must do the same for Americans in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. Support this effort by sending an action alert to contact the State Department.
All communities, including Arab Americans, must be protected from discrimination, intimidation, and of course, hate crimes. Our government must speak to the anti-Arab bigotry we see at times like this. We finally began to hear this from some officials last Thursday. Those calls increased after the heartbreaking murder of six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume near Chicago. If you are feeling fear and intimidation because of the anti-Arab or anti-Palestinian bigotry we are witnessing, please contact us or use this link to find your local Community Relations Service Office of the Department of Justice. 
The cases of intimidation and harassment on college campuses are wholly unacceptable. Students have a right to advocate for their viewpoints, including Palestinian rights, without being targeted—whether by other students, professors, or university leadership. When students defend human rights equally, their moral voice is one that should be supported, not marginalized, or condemned. Use these resources from the ACLU and the student handbook from Palestine Legal for information on campus speech. If you feel your speech is being threatened, we want to hear from you, and you should complete this Palestine Legal intake form. If the treatment of the student rises to the level of discrimination, we want to hear from you. You may also file a civil rights complaint with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

Additionally, given the media bias we are all enduring, including disinformation and misinformation, we have been working closely with civil society groups to craft statements that recognize the humanity of Israelis and Palestinians. You can share these statements or use them as a basis for your own community or organizational statement. Jim and I have also done numerous print, radio, and podcast interviews. To amplify the voices of Palestinian Americans, who are sorely missing from mainstream network coverage, we organized a special Coffee & Column with Jim around the failures of U.S. policy and are distributing that video widely. You can share it as well. We are also reaching out to networks about their coverage and exploring other options to challenge the harm of this irresponsible media narrative.       

Finally, we must remain vigilant to protect Palestinian voices and support for them on social media platforms. Advocates are facing biased algorithms and content moderation policies that are not equally applied. The Palestinian group 7amleh has many  resources to help hold platforms accountable. (Once you click this link, choose En to see the content in English.) You can also connect with 7amleh’s Instagram. If you are looking for social content to amplify, we recommend the Institute for Middle East Understanding. They also have excellent explainers on all aspects of this issue. These can be used to educate colleagues, media, and friends.  

These are certainly grim times. For everyone who has loved ones in the region and for those of us who value all human life equally, the significance of this crisis cannot be overstated. Please know we are doing everything we can, on all fronts, and we take great comfort in knowing we have your support. Our only job right now is saving innocent lives. It is that simple. If there are responses or efforts you feel we may be missing, please reach out and let us know.

If you want to support Palestinians directly with assistance in this moment, we encourage you to check out American Near East Refugee Aid, United Palestinian Appeal, and Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.

As you hug your loved ones, remember those who cannot and be ready to take on the injustices of tomorrow with even more strength.

In solidarity,

Maya

Arab American Institute Foundation
1600 K Street, NW, Suite 601
Washington, DC 20006
United States