PRESS RELEASE: NC groups demand Governor Cooper Support a Ceasefire in Gaza Press ReleaseStatements Nov 15 Written By Muslim Women For Media Contact: Lela Ali, (252) 955-9502 RALEIGH https://www.muslimwomenfor.org/takeaction/press-release-nc-groups-demand-governor-cooper-support-a-ceasefire-in-gaza

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PRESS RELEASE: NC groups demand Governor Cooper Support a Ceasefire in Gaza

Press ReleaseStatements

Nov 15 

Written By Muslim Women For

Media Contact: Lela Ali, (252) 955-9502

RALEIGH- A coalition of 30 organizations sent a letter to North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper expressing disappointment regarding his biased statement on the recent violence from Israel against Palestinians in Gaza. Governor Cooper ordered all US and NC flags at state facilities to be flown at half-staff “in remembrance of the dead [Israeli] innocent civilians.”  What about the thousands upon thousands of Palestinians who have been killed since October 7th? One Palestinian child is killed every ten minutes in Gaza. The failure to recognize the violent reality of living under siege and occupation keeps none of us safe.  No person, no child anywhere should have to suffer or live in fear of violence. If the Governor believes that we owe a moral responsibility to Israeli babies and children, then we owe at least the same responsibility to Palestinian babies and children. Their lives have equal weight. 

The thirty groups, united in sympathies for Israeli and Palestinian lives lost, are calling for the Governor to issue a statement in support of an immediate ceasefire and acknowledge the historical and ongoing, disproportionate violence against Palestinians.

The letter includes a request to meet with the Governor or his team, a meeting that has been scheduled for Thursday, November 16th  to hear from directly impacted people, interfaith leaders, organizers, and local elected officials. 

Additionally, the letter expresses deep concern for the alarming rise in Islamophobia, antisemitism, and hate crimes across communities in North Carolina and the broader United States. The groups explain that biased statements and actions by our state leaders may be harmful to the tens of thousands of constituents who identify as Muslim, Palestinian, or Arab and call North Carolina home. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy group, reported an escalation in Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism that has “surpassed levels not seen in nearly a decade.” They report a staggering 216 percent increase in requests for assistance and reports of bias in the last month. The North Carolina-based groups ask that Governor Cooper take a stance against these unsettling trends by speaking out against hateful acts and centering the voices of Muslim and Jewish voices alike in combating religious discrimination and hate crimes.

“As Governor, you represent all constituents of North Carolina, thousands of whom are Palestinian Americans who are watching their families and loved ones being killed, and feeling unheard and unseen by our state leaders,” the letter states. The groups urge Governor Roy Cooper to lead with the values of love, justice, dignity for all people and support an immediate ceasefire. 

At 12:30pm EST on Thursday, November 16th, Muslim Women For and coalition partners will host a press conference in front of the Governor’s Mansion. 

The following North Carolina-based organizations have signed the letter: 

Carolina Abortion Fund 

Carolina Migrant Network 

CiMA-Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Acción

Comité de Acción Popular 

Education Justice Alliance 

El Pueblo 

El Vinculo Hispano

Education Justice Alliance

El Pueblo

El Vinculo Hispano 

Fayetteville Police Accountability Community Taskforce 

Migrant Roots Media 

Mujerxs Organizando Oportunidades Notables 

Muslims for Social Justice 

North Carolina Asian Americans Together 

North Carolina Environmental Justice Network (NCEJN)

North Carolina Green Party 

North Carolina Muslim Bar Association 

People’s Mower Lab 

Pitt Co. Coalition Against Racism (CAR)

Pro-Choice North Carolina 

Refund Raleigh 

SEAC Village 

SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective 

Southeast Immigrant Rights Network 

Winston-Salem DSA 

Casa Azul de Wilson

7 Directions of Service

Mountain Area Abortion Doula Collective

Women AdvaNCe

Durham for All

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