(HOUSTON, TX, 5/18/2021) – Later today, (Tuesday, May 18, from 6-8 p.m.) the Houston office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Houston) will join Palestinian-led organizations at a local Day of Action rally outside the Israeli Consulate (24 E Greenway Plaza) in Houston to protest Israel’s killing of Palestinian civilians, ethnic cleansing and apartheid.  

Rally organizers ask for “people and allies in the diaspora, Palestinian/Arab organizations, unions, and social justice movements to heed the call for a day of action in support of the general strike in Palestine.”  

Sheikh Jarrah: How the US media is erasing Israel’s crimes
https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/sheikh-jarrah-israel-palestine-us-media-erasing-crimes 

In a statement, CAIR-Houston President and Chairman of Board of Directors John Floyd said: 

“Rallies and protests are a vital part of a democracy and serve as a form of constitutionally protected free speech, especially when they involve dissatisfaction with government action or policy.  The one-sided coverage of Israeli attacks in Gaza and the lack of coverage of recent protests in Houston and across the country highlight concerns that the media’s coverage is biased.  

We call on our local media to honestly and equally cover the Houston rallies and protests that raise awareness of the human rights violations in occupied Palestine.  We are all complicit in supporting the injustices, with U.S. tax dollars supporting an apartheid government that brutally oppresses and violently subjects the Palestinian people.

“It is critical that media give attention to the local voices and concerns expressed at protests. With the power of media, honest reporting can impact creating positive social change as we saw with the contributions of the Civil Rights Movement and collapse of South African apartheid.”

Human Rights Watch: Abusive Israeli Policies Constitute Crimes of Apartheid, Persecution 

https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/04/27/abusive-israeli-policies-constitute-crimes-apartheid-persecution

CAIR Calls on U.S. Government to ‘Defund Israeli Apartheid’ After Human Rights Watch Report Outlines ‘Systematic Oppression of Palestinians’ 

CAIR’s mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. 

La misión de CAIR es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, proteger las libertades civiles, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos. 

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CONTACT: CAIR-Houston Communications and Program Coordinator Ambreen Hernandez, ahernandez@cair.com 713-838-2247, CAIR-Houston President and Chairman of Board of Directors John Floyd, Attorney, jfloyd@cair.com, (713) 224-0101