New Jersey Arab American Heritage Commission

11/17/2024

Dr. Raz Segal traces the emergence of antisemitism as a modern phenomenon tied to the nation-state and the late colonial world and its settler outposts. The ...

10/07/2024

The American-funded Israeli killing machine continues its genocide against the Palestinians. Do your part to speak up against this injustice and cruelty. I did this by contributing to fund critically needed medical services in Gaza.
On November 2, 2023, a group of twenty Palestinian children stood in front of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to hold a press conference to demand the world intervene to secure a ceasefire. A young boy, perhaps twelve years old, read in English from a handwritten yellow paper, his voice full of defiance. "We want to live, we want peace, we want to judge the killers of children. We want medicine, food, and education. We want to live as the other children live."

It’s one year into this genocide.

What happened to these children?

Were they killed in the massacre Israel unleashed on the hospital in March?

Did their families move their tired and injured souls out of North Gaza to Rafah or Deir al-Balah? Did they survive Israel’s massacres there?

Are they still hungry and thirsty?

Will they ever forgive us? These questions haunt us.

We write this on a day too many will commemorate while we wrestle with our broken hearts and our endless thoughts. How do we honor the dead while the killing continues?

We have no good answers. We are in the midst of a tragedy that has changed us at an anatomical level. It’s impossible to believe that just a year ago, we were campaigning to push the world to end Israel's apartheid and occupation. Now, we are battling against another depth of evil: stopping the U.S. government from funding Israel's full-blown genocide against our people.

Today, the world feels impossible to comprehend. What is our purpose when we can’t even protect the children?

We lean now on our partners in struggle who have survived for decades and, in some instances, centuries under the ravages of colonialism and violence. They promise us that our freedom day will come.

We believe in a world where Palestinians are embraced as fully human, not as merely victims or perpetrators. We believe in a world where children do not have to plead to live in safety. We believe in a world where no one has to petition for enough water, food, and shelter. We believe in a world where the taxes we pay to our government aren't used to fund the killing of families at home and abroad.

Now more than ever, we must lean on each other. Our Palestinian values teach us that we prioritize the most vulnerable among us. Our Palestinian values teach us that our dreams of return, justice, and dignity are a moral compass.

You have a role to play. We all do. We must recommit ourselves to doing everything within our power to save the lives of the children who have survived 365 days of genocide. We must continue to stand up and act not only for the sake of our people in Palestine, but for the sake of our shared humanity.

We remain hopeful despite the world’s attempts to crush our minds, bodies, and spirits. We remain undefeated and ready to rise up for Palestine.


With heavy hearts and unwavering hope,

The Adalah Justice Project team

This is a fundraiser aiming to help treat sick displaced people in K… Tracy Burton Bravo needs your support for Help Al-Mawasi Clinic Provide Life-Saving Care

10/05/2024

It was never a genuine concern for what bellies the Palestinians or the Lebanese. It was always lip service dictated by domestic lobbying of pro-Israel mouthpieces. America is complicit in the ongoing genocide against the Palestinians.

Netanyahu repeatedly rolled the American president, leading us all to the precipice of a much larger war.

08/16/2024

Hear our pain.

If the Democratic National Convention is going to have relatives of Israeli hostages speak, it should also have relatives of some Palestinians who’ve died at the hands of Israel. That’s the opinion…

07/29/2024

Subject: Sign the petition! Tell Biden: The U.S. Must Welcome Palestinian Refugees

Friends,

I signed a petition on Action Network telling President Biden: The U.S. Must Welcome Palestinian Refugees.

Nearly 70 Members of Congress led by Congressman Casar, Senator Durbin, and Congresswoman Jayapal are strongly urging the White House for a Priority-2 (P-2) designation under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for Palestinians in Gaza with family members in the United States.

If Palestinians in Gaza are granted a P-2 designation under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), thousands with family in the United States could be resettled here to join family members. We cannot miss this opportunity to save lives.

Can you join me and take action? Click here: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/welcomepalrefugees?source=email&

Thanks!

07/26/2024

A hope for Palestine: In the face of adversity and injustice, our unwavering belief in the principles of human rights and equality keeps the flame of hope alive. The world is beginning to see and acknowledge the realities of the situation in Palestine. People across continents are raising their voices, demanding an end to the oppression, and advocating for the dignity and rights of the Palestinian people.

History has repeatedly shown us that the arc of the moral universe, while long, bends toward justice. The movements for civil rights, the end of apartheid in South Africa, and numerous other struggles for freedom and equality remind us that sustained effort and solidarity can bring about monumental change.

Let us focus on the prize of a free Palestine from the river to the sea. This vision is not merely a dream but a rightful aspiration grounded in justice, international law, and the universal values of human rights. Our cause is strengthened by the growing global awareness and support. Communities, activists, and advocates worldwide are joining forces, amplifying the call for justice and ending systemic oppression.

We must continue to educate, advocate, and mobilize. Every voice counts, and every action matters. By building bridges of understanding and solidarity, we can dismantle apartheid structures and pave the way for a future where everyone in the region can live in peace, equality, and freedom.

Stay resilient, stay hopeful, and keep pushing forward. The struggle for a free Palestine is a just cause, and justice will prevail. Together, we will make history and create a future where peace and dignity are the birthright of every individual.

07/23/2024

https://x.com/ranumpowerplay/status/1815282290601365829

07/23/2024

Arab American writer Ray Hanania reaffirms the importance of Arab and Muslim American voters to the presidential elections. While I have long argued that such broad conclusions are void of any tangible outcome, local (State or municipal elections) are the true arenas where such an influence can be measured and, more so, impactful.

There is no doubt that US President Joe Biden’s much-criticized performance in last month’s debate with former President Donald Trump raised concerns among many Democrats about his ability to win November’s election. However, the truth is that we did not need to see Biden’s debate performanc...

07/19/2024

BREAKING NEWS

"Breaking News: In a historic ruling, the world’s top international court has declared that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem violates international law. What more will it take for the US and the rest of the world to sanction Israel for its military occupation of Palestinian lands and the resulting human toll?"

07/18/2024

The death of the two-state solution. As if it needed affirmation, Israel has just rejected the very idea of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine struggle. What's left: Apartheid: one-state for all citizens, or expulsions of the Palestinians? Now, you ask, who is desiring peace? Not Israel, for sure. They want the subjugation of the Palestinians. "The Knesset is adamantly opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River,” the legislature said in the resolution, which was adopted at a sitting in Jerusalem with backing from 68 of its 120 members."

Israel’s parliament passed a resolution expressing formal opposition to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, warning that it could serve as a base for terrorist groups.

07/18/2024

Enjoy our delicious and healthy Palestinian food, and by so doing, you support our cause for freedom and justice. Here is a story about three fabulous US-based Palestinian restaurants.

Three restaurant owners share their experiences feeding people – and leveraging their positions to tell humanizing stories

06/21/2024

On June 20, 2024, a subcommittee in the NJ Senate passed two similar bills that have sparked concerns about American democracy and freedom of speech. These bills, known as IHRA Bills S1292 and S2397, have not been made into law yet, giving an opportunity to oppose them. The bills suggest adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, which has faced criticism for treating anti-Zionism and critiques of Israel as anti-Semitic. Moreover, worries have been raised about AIPAC's influence on political leaders in terms of providing support to Israel, possibly leading to negative consequences.s.

06/21/2024

It's sad to see such an organization partner with a known racist group.

The Asian American Foundation’s partnership with the Anti-Defamation League legitimizes the ADL’s attacks on marginalized communities and betrays the Foundation’s own commitment to building a more inclusive future.

06/05/2024

It's no surprise that Israel has significantly influenced American policy through its proxies and fake mouthpieces. Heck, it even spied on the American government and institutions. (Remember, convicted Jonathan Pollard?) This infiltration into American politics has been a consistent issue for decades. AIPAC, as well as Evangelical Christians and politicians influenced by AIPAC's financial support, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham and Nikki Haley, are prime examples of the corruption of our foreign policy. However, a new generation of Americans, represented by active student movements, is beginning to see through these shortsighted and distorted priorities and values. While we have yet to fully realign America with its moral compass, the small victories achieved on many campuses promise a more balanced and just foreign policy.

Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs ordered the operation, which used fake social media accounts urging U.S. lawmakers to fund Israel’s military, according to officials and documents about the effort.

05/31/2024

A convicted felon, a future president.
Donald Trump has another first to add to his resume. He was the first US president to be impeached twice and the first US president to be indicted (not once, but four times). Now, the Republican can say that he is the first former US president to be convicted of a crime—34 of them in the case of his prosecution in New York state court in Manhattan. Trump had been indicted for fraudulently concealing hush-money payments made as part of a scheme to manipulate the 2016 US presidential election. A grand jury said that the payoffs were intended to keep embarrassing details of Trump’s personal life out of the public eye to preserve his chances of winning the White House. On Thursday, after less than two days of deliberations, a trial jury found the 77-year-old real estate developer and presumptive GOP presidential nominee guilty on all counts. Trump faces as many as four years in prison at sentencing. But any prison term could be delayed, given his unique circumstances.