(New York, NY, 05/11/2021) – The Islamic Leadership Council of New York, an umbrella representative for over 90 Muslim organizations and mosques, is urging all faith and interfaith organizations to stand in solidarity with Palestinian worshippers who are being violently attacked and expelled from their homes in Jerusalem by Israeli forces. To promote interfaith alliances, different faith communities must stand together in condemning these horrific human rights abuses in an internationally recognized holy city for all People of the Book.
Jerusalem is home to Muslims, Christians, and Jews with deep ties to this holy land through their scriptures. In this holy month of Ramadan in the middle of a global pandemic, millions of Muslims around the globe are observing the practice of fasting from sunrise to sunset, giving charity to their communities, and worshipping God. However, the Israeli government and military has taken advantage of this vulnerable spiritual occasion to expel Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah and to conduct violent raids on worshippers during the night prayers in Masjid al-Aqsa, the third holiest site in Islam.
Israel annually receives $3.8 billion in foreign aid from American taxpayer dollars and is one of the top foreign recipients of American aid. This places Americans and American organizations in a position of responsibility to vocally oppose Israel’s human rights abuses. As faith-based communities, it is our collective duty to promote justice against violent discrimination of any religious community. For far too long, criticism of Israel has been met with false accusations of anti-Semitism. However, we believe it is an affront to the principles of Judaism and the Ten Holy Commandments to conflate settler colonial ideologies of Zionism with Judaism.
We anticipate all interfaith communities to take a principled stance in solidarity with Palestinians who are fighting to defend their homes and places of worship from desecration through the following:
- Actively raise awareness to your faith-based communities and on your social media pages on the horrors taking place against Palestinians with educational resource tools | Also see Jewish Voice for Peace | Sign this petition
- Publicly demand the Biden Administration, Congress and the Israeli embassy to end Israel’s forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes and cease all violence against worshippers at Masjid al-Aqsa by sending letters to their communications pages with the following template.
- Demand that interfaith spaces not be used to censor the Palestinian narrative but work towards elevating and amplifying Palestinian voices working to end the Israeli occupation.
- Demand Congress support House Resolution 2590 Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act by using this letter template. Find your representatives here.
Signed by,
Majlis Ash-Shura: Islamic Leadership Council of New York
Adalah-NY: The New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel
African Council of Imams
Al-Arafa Masjid
Al-Awda New York: The Right to Return Coalition
Al-Janed Islamic Center
American Muslims for Palestine – New Jersey
American Muslims for Palestine – New York
Andalusia Islamic Center
Assafa Islamic Center INC
Arab American Federation
Baitul Islam Masjid & Community Center Inc.
Baitul Mamur Masjid & Comm Center Inc.
Brooklyn Broadway Jame Masjid & Islamic Center
Brooklyn For Peace
Brooklyn Islamic Center
Canarsie Islamic Services
Darul Jannah Masjid & Islamic Center
Desis Rising Up & Moving (DRUM)
Futa Islamic Center, Inc.
Harlem Islamic Cultural Center
Hillside Islamic Center
Hudson Valley Islamic Community Center
Ibn Sina Center
International Action Center
Islamic Center Of New Rochelle
Islamic Center of Five Town
Islamic Center of L.I.
Islamic Center of Mid Westchester
Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) – New York
Islamic Foundation Of New York
Islamic Mission of America -Dawoud
Islamic Society of Bay Ridge
Islamic Unity and Culture Center of Plav-Gusinje
Jamaat Islamic Center
Jewish Voice for Peace – New York
Jews Say No!
Jews for Palestinian Right of Return
Labor for Palestine
Long Island Muslim Society
MAS Community Center, MAS
MAS Sheepshead Bay Center
MAS Upper NY Bronx Muslim Center
MAS Youth Center
Madina Masjid Islamic Council of America
Markaz Saqafi
Masjid Ahlu Sunna Walkhurabba’a
Masjid Al Ansar
Masjid Al Arqam
Masjid Al Ihsan
Masjid Al Rahman
Masjid Al Tawheed
Masjid Al-Hamdu-Lilla
Masjid Alaqsa
Masjid Alfarouqe
Masjid Allah Akbar
Masjid As-Siddiq
Masjid At-Taqwa
Masjid Darul Da’wah
Masjid Darul Quran
Masjid Ebun Abass
Masjid Hamza
Masjid Hefaz
Masjid Highbridge Islamic Center
Masjid Ibaadu Rahmaan
Masjid Iqamatiddeen
Masjid Kawthar
Masjid Makkie
Masjid Manhattan
Masjid Nassr
Masjid Noor
Masjid Omar Ben-Abdel Aziz
Masjid Rahma
Masjid Rahman
Masjid Rahmatillah
Masjid Sabur
Masjid Taha
Masjid Tajul Huda
Masjid Tawba
Masjid Tawhid
Masjid Wahab
Masjid Yusuf Shah
Mid Hudson Islamic Association
Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood Inc.
Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA)
Musa Mosque Islamic Center – Bronx
Muslim American Society (MAS) – New York
Muslim Center of New York
Muslim Community Center
Muslim Foundation of America
New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCORE)
Nurudeen Islamic Charity Org.
NY4Palestine
Parkchester Islamic Center
Paterson Mevlana Mosque
Project Solidarity
Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
Tauhid Center for Islamic Development
United Ulama Council Of USA INC
Westchester Muslim Center
White Plains Islamic Center
Within our Lifetime – United for Palestine Page
Women In Islam, Inc.
Woodhaven Jame Masjid
Yemeni American Association of New York