IN THIS ISSUE

• Statement: MPAC Congratulates the Honorable Judge Zahid Quraishi for His Historic Confirmation

• Faithwashing and the Censorship of Palestine Advocacy in Interfaith Engagement

• Palestine: Tell Your Story


• MPAC Files Amicus Brief on Religious Freedom with U.S. Supreme Court

• Israel/Palestine Legislative Tracker

FEATURED ISSUE

MPAC Congratulates the Honorable Judge Zahid Quraishi for His Historic Confirmation

Yesterday, the United States Senate approved the nomination of Zahid Quraishi to be appointed as a U.S. District Court Judge for the District of New Jersey. The Muslim Public Affairs Council applauds this historic moment as Judge Quraishi is now the first American Muslim to serve as an Article III federal judge. 

The Biden Administration is fulfilling its promise to make the federal government more representative of the rich diversity of America. 

Read the full statement →
 

Faithwashing and the Censorship of Palestine Advocacy in Interfaith Engagement

By: Prema Rahman, MPAC Policy Analyst, and Leela Cullity, MPAC Policy Intern

The intersectional struggle for Palestinian liberation characterized by years of systemic injustice and oppression continues to be minimized and censored in interfaith communities through faithwashing. Faithwashing is the use of interfaith relations to whitewash crimes committed against the Palestinian people. This approach works explicitly to erase Palestinian suffering and conflate critiques of the Israeli government with anti-Semitism. This tactic works to distract interfaith partners from addressing the perpetual settler-colonial violence in Palestine, only leading to the widespread legitimization of an apartheid system, rather than active resistance, including several non-violent approaches in addressing the atrocities. We need to encourage and engage in interfaith conversations that respect the other side’s views but do not deflect criticisms against the Israeli government’s war crimes and repeated violations of international law as the occupying force. 

Faithwashing creates a false narrative of “historic” Jewish-Muslim rivalry as the core cause behind the ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestine, detracting from the reality of Israeli apartheid and occupation of Palestine, and moreover, detracting from the history of “Jews prospering copiously” at the height of Islamic civilization, according to historian Bernard Lewis.

In doing so, faith washing purports the solution to lie in interfaith dialogue and positioning towards neutrality instead of scrutinizing and addressing occupation and apartheid head-on.

Read full article—>

In conjunction with the Yale Free Exercise Clinic, MPAC has submitted an Amicus Brief with the United States Supreme Court arguing for the right to religious freedom of an inmate from Arizona. 

GOOD TO KNOW

• 'An extraordinary moment': NJ's Zahid Quraishi makes history as first Muslim federal judge

• Exciting news from our partners! Riz Ahmed, Pillars Fund, USC Annenberg & Ford Foundation unveil the blueprint for Muslim inclusion

• UK police are making Muslim mental health a terrorism flag

• Muslim family killed in 'premeditated' truck attack in Ontario, Canada 

• Stacey Abrams-led group launches campaign to mobilize young voters of color around voting rights bill 

• The second-largest producer of beef, pork and chicken in the U.S. settles Muslim discrimination lawsuit for $5.5 million

• China spread disinformation videos on Uyghur Muslims two years ago. YouTube let them stay up

• Recent Spate of Mass Shootings Is Among Worst in U.S. History

LEGISLATIVE TRACKER:

 Review status of  key legislation on issues we're covering — 

The bills below seek to address the ongoing plight of the Palestinian people. 

1. HR.2590 Introduced by Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
   Referred to Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on 4/15/21

   To promote and protect the human rights of Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation and to ensure that United States taxpayer funds are not used by the Government of Israel to support the military detention of Palestinian children, the unlawful seizure, appropriation, and destruction of Palestinian property and forcible transfer of civilians in the West Bank, or further annexation of Palestinian land in violation of international law.

2. S.Res.225 - Introduced by Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
   Referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on 5/19/21

   A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the value of Palestinian and Israeli lives and urging an immediate cease-fire and diplomatic efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

3. H.J.49 - Joint Resolution introduced in the House by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [D-NY-14} 
   Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on 5/20/21

   A resolution calling for congressional disapproval of the proposed direct commercial sale to Israel of certain weaponry and munitions.

What can you do to help?  

Contact your local congressional offices.