CAIR calls for expulsion of Israeli minister from US

WASHINGTON

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called Monday for the expulsion of an Israeli minister from the US over the harassment of a Palestinian-American woman.

CAIR said in a statement that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir allegedly directed a member of his security team to harass a woman wearing a keffiyeh while she was visiting Capitol Hill to participate in the US Council of Muslim Organizations’ (USCMO) 10th Annual National Muslim Advocacy Day in Washington, DC.

According to the statement, Ben-Gvir and his security guards later crossed paths with students and members of the Maryland delegation and CAIR national staff, who called him a "war criminal."

"We strongly condemn Itamar Ben-Gvir and his security detail for their attempts to intimidate a Palestinian-American woman on Capitol Hill simply because she was wearing an ancient symbol of Palestinian culture.

"Ben-Gvir is a racist, a war criminal and a coward who should be in The Hague, not wandering the halls of Congress and harassing Americans," said CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw.

He said CAIR calls on members of Congress to refuse to engage with Ben-Gvir and calls on the US to expel him.

"It makes no sense for this war criminal to have free rein to harass Americans while college students who peacefully protested his war crimes are sitting in immigration jails," he added.

According to the statement, Sabrene Odeh, community legal advocate with CAIR-Washington, was wearing a keffiyeh and standing in the hallway of the Rayburn Building when Ben-Gvir approached with a group of aides and security guards.

"Approaching and attempting to intimidate me or anyone else for wearing a sign of Palestinian culture is a racist act of harassment that should be unacceptable in our nation," Odeh said.

The far-right minister’s US visit sparked opposing demonstrations, including during a speaking event in Manhattan, New York City on Thursday.

He claimed Wednesday that US Republicans back his call for bombing food and aid depots in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.