Dear Friend,
The news from Gaza and the West Bank grows more dire with each passing day. For more than a month, we have witnessed the heartbreaking Palestinian reality that the majority of our elected officials and media refuse to acknowledge. We are witnessing a genocide. While we, together with our allies, are doing all we can, we are being failed in this effort by the White House and Congress.
It's only because of our voices and those of our allies that support for a ceasefire continues to grow. From the courageous acts of civil disobedience, the marches and rallies, and the phone calls and messages, we know that the majority of Americans want #CeasefireNOW [[link removed]] .
As AAI does our part, telling our stories and calling for a ceasefire, we want to update you on some of our activities this week.
We were able to generate continued press coverage on our poll [[link removed]] showing high dissatisfaction with Biden among Arab Americans, including in BBC [[link removed]] , Axios [[link removed]] , and Boston Globe [[link removed]] . The coverage has made it clear that Arab American voters can impact key elections. It has resulted in questions being asked repeatedly during the White House briefings this week.
We were also able to place a piece in The Nation [[link removed]] reiterating that American public opinion overall is in line with Arab American calls for a ceasefire. In short, we are not the outliers, but the majority. The Biden Administration’s position is out of step with the American people.
AAI President Jim Zogby was joined by pollster John Zogby for Coffee and a Column to discuss the poll. They discussed other recent polling showing other American constituencies' lack of support for Biden and his reaction to this crisis (including African American, Hispanic, and young voters) and how this may impact the 2024 presidential election.
Jim also appeared on Democracy Now [[link removed]] and CNN International [[link removed]] to discuss Palestinian rights and the poll. Maya has been doing a series of interviews with the media about threats to civil liberties, discrimination, and hate crimes related to the crisis. She was quoted extensively on the recent attempts to silence students who advocate for Palestine. I point you to one piece in particular about the extraordinarily dangerous move of introducing harmful counterterrorism policies into the discourse. In an interview with Spencer Ackerman [[link removed]] , Maya said “the bottom line has been that the ADL has decided to prioritize its pro-Israel work at the expense of any contribution it’s made in the civil rights space for some time now. From redefining anti-Semitism as anti-Zionism in May 2022 to weaponizing the charge of material support now and the policies of the ‘War on Terror’ against students they disagree with, it’s an extraordinary leap, and one that’s harmed my community for decades, before 9/11 and after.”
Jim and Maya also joined some other colleagues for an Arab American meeting with Democratic Leader Hakeem Jefferies this week. All the issues you would want us to raise were indeed on the agenda and the engagement will continue.
At a key Department of Justice meeting, AAI Policy Counsel Margaret Lowry raised the free speech rights of Arab Americans and allies who speak for Palestinian rights while noting that many community members fear for their safety in the current climate. The official readout from that meeting highlighted Attorney General Merrick Garland comments in support of protecting all communities from the increase in hate we are seeing now, including anti-Arab bias.
Our thanks to the hundreds of people who signed on to our TPS Action Alert calling for the protection of Palestinian nationals. 105 Senators and Representatives have signed on [[link removed]] to the letter circulated by Senator Durbin urging the Biden administration to protect Palestinians living in the US.
And, because Tuesday was election day in some states, AAI manned the YallaVote English/Arabic hotline for key elections in Virginia, Ohio, and Michigan.
In the week ahead, your call for a ceasefire must continue. We hope you will join us in calling your Representatives (you can connect to their DC office with this number 202-224-3121), and the White House comment line (202-456-1111). Ask for a ceasefire and let them know that the U.S. must do more to save Palestinian lives. You can also send a letter to your Representative and Senators using this link [[link removed]] .
In gratitude for all we know you are doing,
Team AAI
Arab American Institute Foundation
1600 K Street, NW, Suite 601
Washington, DC 20006
United States
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