03-22-2004, 03:11 PM
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/22/04) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today condemned the assassination of a wheelchair-bound Palestinian Muslim religious leader, calling it an act of "state terrorism."
Israel killed Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a 67-year-old quadriplegic and the most prominent Palestinian Islamic figure, in a missile strike outside a Gaza City mosque on Monday.
In its statement, CAIR said:
"We condemn this violation of international law as an act of state
terrorism by Ariel Sharon's out-of-control government. Israel's
extra-judicial killing of an Islamic religious leader can only serve to
perpetuate the cycle of violence throughout the region. The international community must now take concrete steps to help protect the Palestinian people against such wanton Israeli violence.
"We call on the United States to join its allies in condemning this
political assassination and to make that condemnation meaningful by cutting the flow American-taxpayer dollars to Israel. It is these tax dollars that pay for the weapons Israel uses to carry out such illegal attacks. American repudiation of Israel's brutal policies could also be demonstrated by the
cancellation of Ariel Sharon's upcoming visit to Washington.
"Bland administration statements urging 'restraint by all parties' will only be viewed internationally as tacit approval of Israel's actions and will undermine our moral and legal basis for the war on terrorism.
"Until Israel views Palestinians as human beings, and not just animals to be slaughtered at will during 'hunting season,'* there can be no viable and just resolution to the Middle East conflict. And until America adopts a truly even-handed approach to that conflict, our nation's image will continue to suffer worldwide."
(*Last week, a senior Israeli security official was quoted as saying "hunting season has begun," in reference to assassinations of Palestinians. [Washington Times, 3/18/04])