(Washington, D.C., 1/15/2025) – The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), the nation’s umbrella group of Muslim associations, today welcomes the long overdue announcement of a ceasefire that would reportedly end Israel’s ongoing genocide and result in an exchange of hostages and political prisoners. USCMO commended the American Muslim community and other Americans who have spent over a year protesting, lobbying, and organizing to end the Israeli government’s unprecedented war of slaughter and starvation.
USCMO thanks President-Elect Trump for reportedly placing pressure, including on Netanyahu, to secure a deal before his inauguration and calls on the Trump administration to ensure that Israel does not violate the deal. USCMO also notes that this deal has occurred despite the Biden administration, which has steadfastly funded Israel’s war crimes and refused to force a ceasefire deal for over a year.
In a statement, USCMO Secretary-General Oussama Jammal said:
“”We welcome this long thwarted and delayed ceasefire agreement, which must permanently end the Israeli government’s genocide in Gaza, free hostages and political prisoners, and lead to the reconstruction of a liberated Gaza reunited with the rest of Palestine.
“As we welcome this moment, we must also recognize that the political, cultural, social, and economic dimensions of the genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza are continuing.
“We also recognize President-Elect Trump’s reported role in pressuring Netanyahu to accept the ceasefire deal, as well as the longstanding refusal of President Biden, Secretary Blinken and other administration officials to do anything more than mouth insincere words of support for a ceasefire without taking concrete action to force a ceasefire.
“We will not forget that President Biden steadfastly worked to militarily arm, diplomatically shield, and politically protect the war criminals of the Israeli government. In doing so, Biden administration officials violated U.S. law at every possible turn and directly helped the Israeli military kill babies, children, mothers, entire families, healthcare workers, journalists, humanitarian aid workers, and public servants all at historic numbers.
“We call on President-elect Trump to guarantee the Gaza ceasefire, rush humanitarian aid at scale to the Palestinian people, pursue a just, lasting peace by securing the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination in an independent state, and support these freedoms throughout the Middle East, without which there will be no peace, nor prosperity, nor security at home or abroad.
“We pray for the peace in Gaza and the Holy Land, and for the freedom and security of all in the region and here at home.”
