[PHOENIX, Dec.1, 2023] — The Arizona Muslim Alliance (AMA), the largest Muslim organization in the state, stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people in the face of Israeli attacks on Palestinian towns, cities, refugee camps, and medical facilities. We also mourn the staggering loss of all life since Oct. 7. In the Gaza Strip alone, Israeli forces have killed over 13,000 Palestinians, including more than 5,000 children, and thousands more are feared dead under the rubble. We Arizona Muslims grieve deeply for family and friends killed, injured, displaced, and traumatized as a result of these attacks.
We call on our United States government, which provides major financial and military support to Israel, to demand an immediate ceasefire. In 2022, the U.S. spent a total of $4.8 billion on military, economic, and missile defense aid for Israel. Over the last 75 years, Israel has received more U.S. tax dollars than a
ny other foreign country.
Furthermore, we condemn the Israeli government’s targeted and indiscriminate killing of civilians and its total blockade of the Gaza Strip, denying food, water, electricity, fuel, and medical supplies to 2.2 million civilians. More than half of the 35 hospitals in Gaza are no longer operational, and the World Health Organization has documented dozens of attacks on medical facilities and rising deaths of medical workers and staff.
AMA Chairman Ahmed Ewaisha released this statement: “The atrocities and genocide that the Israeli defense forces have committed over the past 35 days against defenseless civilians, especially women and children, are unacceptable. This is a war crime. If Israel has the right to defend itself, who then takes the responsibility of defending a vulnerable group of civilians against fighter jets, artillery, and tanks? We ask President Biden to call for a ceasefire now to protect the defenseless children and civilians that are currently under attack in Gaza.”
The AMA also implores elected officials, media, community leaders, and others to carefully educate themselves on the plight of the Palestinian people, while condemning all forms of bigotry, including Islamophobia and antisemitism.
“Just as we do not tolerate antisemitism, we do not tolerate Islamophobia. We ask anyone with a public platform to be responsible and balanced, and to stop the dehumanization of Palestinians, Palestinian-Americans, Arabs, and Muslims,” said AMA Secretary Susan Bassal. “We pray for a future where every life is precious and for safety and freedom for all people, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or religion.”
