At the heart of Muslim Civic Coalition-Activate’s mission is advancing safety, dignity, and opportunity for our community, all of our neighbors, and our kids for generations to come. 

As an organization, we have been vocal and present in spaces with many others opposing the forces that have contributed to the genocide in Gaza and the oppression of Palestinians. 

Zionism is an undeniable key force. It’s important to be clear that we know Zionism as a supremacist ideology – not an identity and not synonymous with Judaism. 

Our organization has long opposed all supremacist ideologies, including white supremacy and Hindutva.

Unfortunately, our community has experienced decades of very real trauma because of Zionism. 

It has justified horrific violence and displacement against Palestinians and other neighboring communities in the region; allowed a genocide in Gaza to unfold on our screens; afforded more rights to certain identities than others, recognizing one people’s presence and rejecting and erasing others; and led to silencing, surveilling and detaining community members in America. All paid for with our tax dollars. 

For our community, this is personal. Grandparents made refugees. Children murdered. Leaders abducted. Our faith, our homelands, and our speech criminalized. 

And we welcome a growing number of Americans from all backgrounds raising their own voices in condemnation of the damage done by this supremacist ideology. Research shows that Americans now have increasingly negative views of the Israeli government – across political parties, age groups and religious categories, according to a recent Pew Research Center poll. 

We understand the framing of Zionism in the past has long been equated with Judaism, and it is a painful conversation to have. But we adamantly reject the conflation of opposing Zionism with antisemitism. In fact, in many cases, this conflation can fuel antisemitism by binding the actions of – and anger at – the Israeli government to all Jewish people. We recognize this conflation as a strategy to try and shield a government and ideological movement from critique.

To be clear, Coalition-Activate collaborates – and deeply values our relationships – with Jewish partners and we join other Jewish organizations and leaders who oppose supremacy and share values of equality and peace. 

Every day, we see the power in speaking up for peace, equality, for what is right, for what is just. We are proud to do that work with so many caring communities across all backgrounds, races, faiths, and identities.