CAIR: Bush 'Abandoned' Americans in Gaza

A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group said today that President Bush has "abandoned" the more than 150 American citizens and their family members seeking evacuation from the Gaza Strip.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said it is not known if any American citizens are among the more than 1300 dead, including hundreds of women and children, and more than 5000 injured by Israeli attacks. Americans with family members in Gaza are now beginning to report the death or injury of relatives.

A Palestinian-American in Chicago says his sister-in-law and her five young children were killed just over a week ago in an Israeli air strike.

SEE: Local Palestinian Grieves for Killed Relatives

http://tinyurl.com/9zza6b

A professor at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi said Israeli attacks killed three of his nephews.

SEE: Family Members of Local Residents Killed in Gaza

http://tinyurl.com/6t9vp4

"It is unconscionable that a president, whose highest duty is to protect our nation's citizens, would abandon Americans in their time of greatest need," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. "One can only speculate as to why these particular citizens are undeserving of protection or even rhetorical support."

CAIR has been seeking the evacuation of two American children, ages six and three, along with all the other Americans in Gaza. State Department officials told CAIR that an evacuation was being planned, but nothing has been announced. The citizens of many other nations have already been evacuated from Gaza.

SEE: CAIR Seeks Sponsors for Gaza Evacuees

http://tinyurl.com/9owp59

In response to a CAIR alert seeking sponsors for American evacuees, the Department of State's Visa Office did set up a special e-mail address, GazaAssistance@state.gov, for who are able to support families that have no relatives in the United States.

The Israeli military has targeted homes, hospitals, mosques, medical personnel, United Nations compounds, schools, universities, an international media center, and a church.

Britain's Guardian newspaper reports that during a 12-hour assault on a village in Gaza last week, Israeli soldiers "attempted to bulldoze houses with civilians inside" and "killed civilians trying to escape under the protection of white flags."

SEE: Israel Accused of War Crimes Over 12-Hour Assault on Gaza Village

http://tinyurl.com/9lgyts

Last week, CAIR called on the Bush administration to request that the United Nations immediately refer Israeli war crimes in the Gaza Strip to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

SEE: U.S. Should Ask U.N. to Seek Gaza War Crimes Trials

http://tinyurl.com/8vo2kj

SEE ALSO: MP Kaufman Likens Israelis to Nazis

http://tinyurl.com/94xrwx

CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.