Jewish Voice for Peace stands with Fatima Mohammed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Sonya E Meyerson-Knox | sonya@jvp.org | 929-290-0317 

Jewish Voice for Peace is proud to stand in support of Fatima Mohammed, a Muslim CUNY Law graduate elected by her peers to give the 2023 commencement address, who is now facing a smear campaign for having the bravery to speak out against the widespread abuses of the apartheid Israeli government.

On May 12, 2023 — as the Israeli military entered its fourth day of deadly airstrikes against Palestinians in Gaza — Fatima gave a commencement address to thunderous applause, urging her fellow graduates to use their degrees to support struggles against oppression, from justice for Black, Brown and immigrant communities in the U.S., to freedom for Palestinians under Israeli apartheid rule.

Today, Fatima faces a racist and Islamophobic attack campaign from prominent public figures and institutions, including the NY Post, Fox News, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, Congressman Ritchie Torres, Senator Ted Cruz, and more. Furthermore, in a cowardly move that has been condemned by members of CUNY Law faculty, the CUNY Chancellor and Board of Trustees falsely smeared her remarks as “hate speech.” These vile attacks have led to death threats and put a young Muslim civil rights lawyer in danger, and are part of an ongoing and coordinated effort to silence anyone who holds the Israeli government accountable for its apartheid rule over Palestinians.

Jewish Voice for Peace Executive Director Stefanie Fox: “We decry the attacks and smears against Fatima, simply because she accurately described the conditions under which Palestinians live. We couldn’t agree with her more that ‘Palestine can no longer be the exception to our pursuit of justice’.”

We are proud to stand with Fatima, along with dozens of civil rights, academic, and grassroots organizations and human rights defenders everywhere.