Open letter to President Obama

Dear President Obama

Soon, you are set to visit Palestine and Tel Aviv and when you set foot in the Holy Land, you will be taking with you the hopes and aspirations of tens of thousands of Palestinian Americans, who want to see our values of justice and liberty bloom again in their native land. 

The American Muslims for Palestine is a national, grassroots organization whose mission is to educate the American public about Palestine and its rich cultural and historical heritage. As such, we represent thousands of Palestinians across the country who so desperately want to see peace in the land of milk and honey. Right now, as long as Israel continues to occupy Palestine, keep Gaza under siege, annex ever more Palestinian land through the construction of settlements and the apartheid wall, deprive Palestinians even of their most basic of rights – the freedom of movement – and relegate Palestinian citizens of Israel to second-class status, that peace will remain elusive and unattainable. 

You have the opportunity, Mr. President, of changing the course of history in the Middle East during your second term by working to amend our foreign policy in that region to one that is more fair and balanced for everyone who lives there.  We hold other countries receiving our foreign aid to high human rights standards and we feel it is only right that we apply the same standards to Israel. It harms us in the global arena when our foreign policy is seen as one-sided and as allowing Israel to continue to violate international law and Palestinians’ human rights with impunity. 

For instance, from 2000 to 2009, the United States appropriated to Israel $24 billion in Foreign Military Financing, and delivered more than 670 million weapons and related equipment to Israel, valued at $19 billion through three major weapons transfer programs. During this same period, Israel, through its military occupation, killed 2,969 Palestinians, who took no part in hostilities. Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land is illegal under international law, which also affords an occupied people the right to resist their occupation. You have frequently called upon Palestinians to cease all violence, but you’ve never called upon Israel to do the same. 

AMP is requesting that you consider three important objectives when meeting with officials in the Holy Land. First, we ask you to reframe your position to one that recognizes that both sides are not equal; that, in fact, we are dealing with Israel as an occupier and the Palestinians as an occupied people, thereby invoking special protections under international law. Second, we ask you to pressure Israeli officials to release the hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners and all Palestinian political prisoners as a concession and good-will gesture toward peace. Finally, we ask you to hold Israel accountable for its misdeed and violations of international law by tying our foreign aid payments directly to Israeli improvements in Palestinian human rights.

Imagine the legacy you could leave behind, Mr. President, if you helped shift the course of our Middle East foreign policy that would afford all citizens of the Holy Land – Muslim, Christian and Jew – equal rights under the law.  We understand you have many objectives and goals during your trip to the Middle East, and Palestine is just one of them. However, AMP is humbly requesting that you to take our concerns into account and take the brave steps necessary that could help alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. We stand ready to support and help you in this process.

Sincerely,

Dr. Hatem Bazian
Chairman
American Muslims for Palestine