(Washington D.C.) | May 8, 2021 - The Muslim American Society condemns the reported crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution faced by Palestinians under Israeli occupation. The Palestinian people continue to be subjugated and displaced, houses of worship continue to be violated, and free speech and the right to protest stifled.

In the blessed month of Ramadan, as worshippers prayed the night prayers in Masjid Al-Aqsa, Israeli soldiers reportedly stormed and attacked women, men, children and elderly engaged in worship. Israeli forces used skunk water, rubber bullets, grenades and tear gas against worshippers, injuring over 205 Palestinians.

The residents of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem face the real threat of displacement and forced evictions by armed settlers and Israeli forces. 58 Palestinians including 17 children are being forced to leave their homes due to the Jerusalem District Court ruling that makes way for settlers to further occupy homes of Palestinians who lived there for generations.

Since the catastrophe known as the Nakba in 1948, the Palestinian people have been subjected to human rights abuses and violations by Israeli forces and armed settlers, leading to reported genocide and ethnic cleansing by the Zionist regimes.

In the past few weeks, Human Rights Watch published a report detailing Israeli human rights abuses and crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution of Palestinians. Our tax dollars continue to support and fund such atrocities, which must stop immediately.

We cannot be silent and must stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people. We call on the Biden administration to take action to prevent these forced and illegal evictions and the attacks against worshippers in a holy mosque.  We must safeguard the human rights of Palestinians and stand against the violence and persecutions they face under Israeli apartheid.

The Muslim American Society is a dynamic charitable, religious, social, cultural, advocacy and educational organization. Its mission is to move people and nurture lifelong, God-centered agents of change. Our vision is a vibrant American Muslim community striving for a just and virtuous society.