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Issue 10: November 9, 2023

A monthly spotlight on major developments from MPAC’s Policy Bureau
Dear John,

This past month has been difficult for all of us. We have watched the devastation, seen the images, and heard the stories coming from Palestine. I'm writing to you today because, despite all of this, there is still cause for hope. We have seen our youth and our students ignite the most powerful movement for Palestine in U.S. history, taking to the streets to demand justice and organizing digitally to expose propaganda, hypocrisy, and lies. We have seen new allies stand with us in solidarity, conscientious objectors risk their careers, and an international movement that has touched the far corners of the globe.

In the past four weeks, our team:
* Helped send over 5,300 constituent letters to government officials.
* Met with over 100 members of Congress, advocating for Rashida Tlaib's Ceasefire Resolution.
* Met with members of the Senate and House Foreign Relations, Intelligence, Armed Services, Appropriations, and Judiciary committees in support of a ceasefire.
* Met with Departments of State, Education, Justice, and Homeland Security to advocate for Palestinians, demand a ceasefire, and protect students and community members as we face a new wave of anti-Muslim animus.
* Wrote and delivered letters to the presidents of the top 100 universities, pushing back against those who claim our youth support terrorism and standing up for our freedoms of expression and protest.
* Wrote and delivered letters to over 150 HR and DEI leaders at 35+ of the largest employers in the U.S., demanding equal treatment and protection for American Muslim employees in the workplace.
* Marched alongside our community members and partners in Washington at the largest Palestinian protest in U.S. history.

But our work is not finished. We are at a crossroads, and it is more important than ever that we stand united and move forward, together, as American Muslims.

I look forward to seeing you at the convention this Saturday. Dr. Basil Abdelkarim will be joining us as our keynote. If you have not purchased your tickets and want to attend, reach out to [email protected]; we are almost at capacity and have ended online ticket sales.

In Service,
Salam Al-Marayati
President, MPAC
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From the Frontlines:



** MPAC Sends Letter to Presidents of Top 100 American Universities: ([link removed])
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UC Berkeley students walk out of class, call for cease-fire in Gaza

In an open letter to university presidents, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) suggested that students’ peaceful protests in support of Palestinians are tantamount to materially supporting foreign terrorist organizations.

In response, MPAC sent a letter pushing back against the extreme courses of action proposed by the ADL while highlighting the harassment, bullying, and doxing that students advocating for Palestine are dealing with on campuses across the country.

After weeks of working with senior members of the House Education and Workforce Committee, the Department of Education has also released a statement reminding schools of their legal obligation to address discrimination and harassment.

Read their full statement here ([link removed]) .


** MPAC Sends Letter to DEI and HR Leaders at top U.S. Employers: ([link removed])
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Since October 7th, company CEOs and HR departments have released statements on the growing conflict between Hamas and Israel. Many have stood in solidarity with their Jewish employees in the face of a tragic and horrific incident -- as they should have -- but many have been silent as Israel's response has taken the lives of thousands and displaced more than a million Palestinian people.

Religion is as essential as any other part of individual and community identity. Accommodating employees on this basis is no different than accommodating for anything else, and does not need to come at the expense of others.

Read our full article here ([link removed]) .


** Lense on the ([link removed]) [link removed] Journalists’ Toll Reporting from Gaza: ([link removed])
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** Israeli snipers targeting journalists in Gaza | The Electronic Intifada
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"As of November 8th, 2023, 39 journalists and media crew working on the ground in the Gaza Strip and surrounding region have been killed."

Media has acted as both a vessel of information for events unfolding in the region as well as a source of misinformation, censorship, online attacks, and blatant discrimination. Journalists on the ground are at increased risk as their lives and the lives of their colleagues and loved ones are under constant threat.

Read our full blog post, authored by our communications fellows, here ([link removed]) .


** Statement: MPAC Urges the Biden Administration to Take Swift Action: ([link removed])
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“Hate crimes committed against Muslims are often downplayed or even glorified under the guise of patriotism. This dangerous trend not only perpetuates Islamophobia but also normalizes violence and discrimination against the Muslim community,”
said Salam Al-Marayati, President of MPAC.

Read our full statement here ([link removed]) .


** Statement: MPAC Gravely Concerned Over Escalating Violence Between Hamas and Israel: ([link removed])
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“The policy of the United States has consistently been to deny the reality of the Palestinian plight, only recognizing the situation as a mere ‘conflict’ and standing by to further arm and support Israeli aggression,” said MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati.

"As a global leader, as well as a fundamental player in the history and maintenance of the Palestinian Occupation, the United States must take effective steps to address both the current war and the occupation as a whole.”

Read our full statement here ([link removed]) .


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In the Media:
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MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati on CNN Newsroom: ([link removed])

Sunday, MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati joined CNN Newsroom live with host Fredricka Whitfield to discuss the growing distrust among American Muslim voters as the Biden-Harris Administration continues its unwavering support for Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza.

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Watch the full segment here ([link removed]) .


** The Left is Empowering Peacemakers, Not Violent Extremists: ([link removed])
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Op-Ed Published in Newsweek
By Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC President

"Anger and vengeance misguided U.S. behavior."

"American Muslims became a suspect community, required to prove innocence rather than carrying its presumption like other Americans. Speaking out against war became tantamount to sympathizing with terrorism... So if good trouble is raising our voices against war, then we must embrace it as a burden we carry to correct the course of our country."

Read the full published op-ed here ([link removed]) .


** U.S. mosques have been especially concerned about security since the Hamas attacks: ([link removed])
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**
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NPR
Muslims gather at mosques for first Friday prayers since Israel-Hamas war started – KGET 17

MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati ([link removed]) sat down with NPR ([link removed]) 's Jason DeRose ([link removed]) to discuss the safety and security of mosques and the Muslim community as concerns about anti-Muslim hate continue to rise in the US.

Listen to the full segment and read the article here ([link removed]) .



** To Combat American Islamophobia, Biden Must Also Call Cease-Fire in Gaza, US Muslims Say: ([link removed])
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**
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Voice of America
Women gather to pray at Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, Va., on Oct. 31, 2023.

"The pressure campaign has been marginally successful in influencing the administration’s policy," said Salam Al-Marayati, President of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.

"There was an acknowledgement of the suffering of Palestinians and empathy for the Palestinian people, and support for those of us in America who are working on the Palestinian issue, and to demand that officials and political organizations stop conflating our work with terrorism."
Read the full article here ([link removed]) .



** Why Biden is 'persona non grata' for many Arab and Muslim Americans: ([link removed].)
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**
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ABC News
PHOTO: Palestinians look for survivors amid the rubble of a building hit in an Israeli air strike in Khan Yunis on the southern Gaza Strip, Oct. 24, 2023.

"They're trying to paint Muslims as barbarians by saying that children are beheaded ... the damage it does is non-retractable."

"Muslims and Arabs say that even during Biden's earlier address to the nation on Oct. 10, when 900 Israelis and 700 Gazans had been confirmed dead, he failed to mention that Palestinians had died."

"It felt like Muslim blood was cheap. All lives are not equal in the eyes of the Biden administration. There's more precedent given to Israeli lives than there are to Muslim lives," said Niala Mohammad, Director of Policy and Strategy at the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
Read the full article here ([link removed].) .



** Biden Defends West Bank Civilians, His Most Sympathetic Remarks to Palestinians Since War in Gaza ([link removed]) : ([link removed])
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**
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Voice of America
Local residents inspect an impact crater at the site of an Israeli drone strike that killed three Palestinians, on the day of their funeral at Jenin refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Oct. 25, 2023.

"As casualties grow, Biden is under increasing pressure from groups denouncing his “unwavering” support of Israel."

"American Muslims have been “disturbed, shocked, disappointed, and distraught” by Biden’s policies," said Salam Al-Marayati, President of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
Read the full article here ([link removed]) .



** Visions of a New National Security Paradigm: ([link removed])
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Op-Ed Published in Center for Public Integrity
By Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC President

The photo shows people, some blurred in movement, at an airport.

"We’re not going to solve the Palestinian problem with this current national security paradigm, because Palestinians — in this case — and Muslims in general are irrelevant to the United States. The United States is more interested in geopolitical interests."

Read the full published op-ed here ([link removed]) .



** Angelenos feel effects of attacks in Israel and Gaza, hope for peace: ([link removed])
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**
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KCRW
Thousands rally in L.A. against Israel's air and ground war in Gaza - Los Angeles Times

"The way events have turned for the last 56 years, since the [Israeli] occupation began in Gaza and the West Bank, the only relevant groups have been the violent groups. We have erased the voices of the people. The civilians don’t have a voice in this. So, they are going to suffer even more...” - Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC President

MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati sat down with KCRW's Steve Chiotakis and Susan Goldberg to talk about the tragic events continuing to unfold in Gaza and the close partnership between LA’s Muslim and Jewish communities over the years.

Listen to the full segment and read the article here ([link removed]) .


** In Case You Missed It:
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** 2024 CLDP Applications are Open! ([link removed])
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Are you ready to step into public service positions and make a lasting impact as an American Muslim on Capitol Hill? The application window for the 2024 Congressional Leadership Development Program (CLDP) is still open! This is your opportunity to join a transformative cohort of young students that will shape you into a dynamic and effective leader of tomorrow.

For program information and application requirements, click here ([link removed]) .


**
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** Upcoming Events
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**
2023 MPAC Convention: Authentic Voices for Principled Change ([link removed])
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Mark your calendars! This Saturday, November 11, 2023, join us at our annual Convention for a fireside chat and book signing with award-winning journalist and author Mehdi Hasan.


**
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Hasan is host of ‘The Mehdi Hasan Show’ on MSNBC and Peacock, and author of the 2023 New York Times bestseller, ‘Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking.’

Online ticket sales have ended. Please reach out to [email protected] to purchase tickets.

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