Washington, D.C. | www.adc.org | December 29, 2023 – Earlier this evening, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC), the Council on American-Islamic Relations, California (CAIR-CA), and the Arab-American Civil Rights League (ACRL), submitted an Amicus brief to the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California. The brief supports the genocide complaint by Defense for Children International – Palestine and several other organizations against President Joe Biden and senior government officials. An Amicus brief is a court filing that provides additional, relevant information or arguments the court may want to consider before making their ruling.
On Nov. 13, 2023, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) filed a complaint, on behalf of Defense for Children International – Palestine and several other organizations and individuals, against U.S. President Joseph Biden, Jr., Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin III. The CCR filed suit against the three for their failure to prevent, and their complicity in, Israel’s ongoing genocide against the plaintiffs, their families, and the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
ADC, along with partners, collected data and testimonies from Palestinian-Americans who are from, and with ties to, the Gaza Strip. Many of the individuals have had relatives killed and wounded by Israeli attacks, some have lost dozens of family members. Many have had their homes, businesses, lands, and overall livelihoods completely destroyed and wiped out. The brief also collected stories about Israel’s destruction of various sectors vital to Palestinian life and culture including education, health, financial, social, cultural, religious, and other sections. The brief also explains to the court how Palestinian-Americans, like their relatives in Gaza, and those stuck in Gaza are also experiencing severe psychological and mental harms from Israel’s ongoing genocide.
Abed Ayoub, ADC National Executive Director said, “This submission highlights the scope and scale of harms to Palestinian-Americans stuck in the Gaza Strip and those who are from, or with ties to, the Gaza Strip. We thank all our partners who contributed to this very important effort. We urges the Court to do what is necessary by ruling in favor of the Plaintiff’s and declaring that Biden, Blinken, and Austin failed to prevent, and are aiding and abetting genocide.”
As the genocide nears its 90th day, ADC reiterates the call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.