Over the past two months, the American Muslim community, like the rest of the world, has watched in horror as the Israeli war machine unleashed some of the most brutal military violence in recent memory, killing over 16,000 Palestinians.
The 3.45 million U.S. Muslims, who tend to lean Democratic according to Pew Research Center, are in grief, and disbelief and feel betrayed by President Joe Biden’s continuous support for Israel and refusal to call for a humanitarian cease-fire.
However, the community has reacted by turning their feelings of grief, outrage and helplessness into action by mobilizing for protests, sit-ins and vigils, according to Hussam Ayloush.
Ayloush is a community leader in the Greater Los Angeles Area and has held the office of executive director at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) since 1998.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Sabah, Ayloush discussed how American Muslims have reacted to the ongoing Israeli brutality in Gaza and what they are doing to hold politicians accountable.
“They are demanding action from local, state and national elected officials via phone, email and in-person meetings, participating in Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movements as a form of peaceful dissent," he said.
“They are also creating and sharing advocacy posts on social media, signing petitions calling for a permanent cease-fire, attending city council meetings to speak out in support of Palestine and organizing teach-ins to combat misinformation and educate the public about the history of the region," Ayloush added.
The community has consistently been showing up for Palestine and speaking out against Israel’s illegal occupation and system of apartheid for decades. However, it has been more vocal than ever given the right-wing Israeli government and military have clearly ramped up their aggression – not just in Gaza but in the West Bank also.
“With the help of social media, we are watching a genocide happen in real time as Israel bombs Gaza’s residential buildings, mosques, churches, schools and hospitals, killing more than 16,000 Palestinian civilians, including at least 6,150 children," said Ayloush.
“We are hearing directly from the mouths of Israeli officials their plans to ‘level Gaza’ and expand their settlements, and watching in disbelief as the U.S. government voices their unconditional support for Israel and becomes complicit in a genocide."
On the general feeling among community members and leaders, Ayloush said that this was a painful time for many, and they are collectively grieving for the countless civilians murdered, injured, imprisoned and displaced under Israel’s brutal occupation of Palestine – not only in the past two months but over the past 75 years.
“Of course, there are feelings of sadness and outrage, but many have also felt inspired by watching the resiliency shown by the people of Gaza."
He added that the community members and leaders have been vocal about advocating for Palestine for decades, so mobilizing and using their voices was nothing new.
“For many, being able to attend protests, speak with elected officials and engage in other forms of activism has been a way to remain hopeful," Ayloush said.
The American Muslim community has also voiced their frustration with the bias and one-sided rhetoric that has predominantly been the narrative in Western media.
“At the beginning, media outlets largely contributed to spreading disinformation – such as the widely circulated but now-debunked story about 40 beheaded babies – as well as Islamophobic, racist and dehumanizing rhetoric, which has had devastating consequences," said Ayloush.
He also blamed the media’s biased narrative for the unprecedented increase in hate crimes against Palestinians, Muslims, and Arabs since Oct. 7.
Above the hate, the Palestinian cause has also seen growing support from people of all backgrounds as Gazans currently living through the violence and bloodshed share videos and images exposing Israel’s atrocities.
“Millions of people are sharing their stories. It’s not just Muslims, Palestinians and Arabs who are talking about Palestine now – it’s people from all backgrounds and all faiths who are working to share the reality of what is happening in Gaza and the occupied West Bank," he said.
“Even though many of these images, videos and testimonies are not making it to mainstream news channels, that doesn’t mean people are sitting back and doing nothing. The community has not, and will not, allow what is truly happening in Palestine to be silenced. Community members are sharing the videos and images online, and they are also giving interviews, making public comments, organizing sit-ins and attending protests," Ayloush said.
They are also working diligently to tackle the U.S. government’s pro-Israel policies by countering false narratives by educating the public about Israel’s 75-year history of apartheid and military occupation and advocating for a political solution that ends the occupation and the apartheid system that denies Palestinians equal rights.
The American Muslim community is also putting pressure on organizations that financially support Israel's oppression of Palestinians, through the BDS movement, challenging the “terrorism narrative" and other negative portrayals of Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims in the media, according to the CAIR-LA executive director.
“We are advocating for a reassessment of U.S. military aid to Israel and the need to respect international law, as well as ensuring that the right to free speech is upheld and protecting people from retaliation for voicing solidarity with Palestine."
“Many Muslim activists are now more committed to political activism to ensure that their voice is heard and their issues are addressed," said Ayloush.
Concerning the U.S. government’s attempt to silence pro-Palestinian voices like Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, Ayloush criticized the U.S. Congress’ censure of its only Palestinian American member.
He described it as an attempt by members of Congress who support the apartheid regime in Israel to penalize and silence those who dare to expose and challenge Israeli human rights abuses.
“Pro-Palestinian voices, such as Congresswoman Tlaib’s, represent the millions of Americans nationwide who are horrified by the atrocities that Israel is committing against the people of Gaza. It is deeply concerning that there is such a push to censure and silence those who take a principled and brave stance against genocide and ethnic cleansing of the people in Gaza," Ayloush said.
He also called out some members of Congress for making “racist, bigoted and disparaging comments against Muslims and Palestinians with no apparent consequences."
“Congress should be deeply ashamed of its double standard and attempts to suppress such a valuable voice at a time when it’s so greatly needed," he said.
With the election year coming up, however, Ayloush believes that the Muslim American community will make their voices heard in the ballots.
He said that many community members have expressed a high level of discontent and frustration with President Biden, even going as far as promising not to vote for him in the upcoming elections.
“Biden has failed the Arab and Muslim constituency, he has failed America’s interests, and he has failed his own humanity, and voters are seeing and recognizing that," Ayloush said.
“I anticipate a strong show of the community’s growing political influence, especially in races where the Muslim and Arab votes can swing elections, such as in battleground states and districts."
“On Election Day, those who supported the unfolding genocide in Gaza will be hearing from many Americans who felt betrayed by these politicians," he added.
