by Staff Reporter | Feb 14, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
A group with ties to the terrorist organization Hamas, CAIR-AZ, was invited as honored guests of the Arizona Senate on Tuesday.
CAIR-AZ attended Senate proceedings for a proclamation honoring the deaths in Palestine, Sudan, Congo, and Lebanon.
“This is a historic step for the Muslim community and CAIR-AZ, as we have worked tirelessly to get this proclamation passed,” stated the organization in an Instagram post.
The proclamation, SR1001, declared Arizona’s recognition and mourning of the loss of lives in Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan, and Congo due to the ongoing humanitarian crises. The proclamation declared February to be “a month of remembrance and solidarity” for those countries.
Preceding the proclamation was a prayer from Omar Al-Tawil, an imam at the Islamic Community Center of Tempe and a chaplain for Muslim students at Arizona State University.
SR1001 was introduced by Senator Analise Ortiz and co-sponsored by Sens. Bravo, Diaz, Miranda, and Sundareshan. Ortiz later appeared in photos with the CAIR-AZ activists celebrating the proclamation’s passage.
Those present included Khaled Beydoun, a pro-Hamas activist and Arizona State University associate law professor; Azza Abuseif, executive director of CAIR-AZ, lead organizer of Women’s March Phoenix, and Arizona State Director of NextGen America; Tarteel Alimam, executive administrator at CAIR-AZ; Zakir Siddiqi, co-chair of the Arizona Green Party and co-owner of the WhereUBean Coffee; and former lawmaker Martín Quezada, now the lawyer for CAIR-AZ.
Also present were representatives for the activist organizations AZ AANHPI for Equity, Our Instituto, AZ PACC, Progress Arizona, One Arizona, Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim, and CHISPA Arizona.
In a press release, CAIR-AZ took credit for SR1001’s passage.
“At a time when the world bears witness to immense suffering and injustice, it is crucial to recognize and remember those who have perished due to violence, conflict, and humanitarian crises,” said Abuseif.
The inclusion of the group resulted in ire from Arizonans witnessing the display.
“Who’s bright idea was it to let terrorist-simps spread their propaganda on the AZ Senate floor?” asked one Arizonan.
In addition to advocating for Hamas, CAIR-AZ has taken to protesting against immigration enforcement efforts. The group participated in a protest against SB1164, or the “Arizona ICE Act.” This legislation allows the U.S. Attorney General to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws. This would enable Arizona law enforcement to investigate, apprehend, and detain illegal aliens.
CAIR-AZ also advocated against Proposition 314, the “Secure the Border Act” approved by voters last November. The proposition requires state and local agencies to verify immigration status prior to giving out government benefits, makes it a crime for illegal aliens to apply for government benefits with false information, and enhances punishments for selling fentanyl produced outside the U.S. A portion of the proposition directing law enforcement to arrest illegal aliens remains unenforceable due to court orders in other states.
The national affiliate for CAIR-AZ, CAIR, is an entity of the Muslim brotherhood linked to Hamas activities.
CAIR leaders celebrated the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
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by Staff Reporter | Dec 18, 2024 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Democrat who formerly represented Arizona’s 29th legislative district, Martín Quezada, is now the lawyer for the major Muslim activist group, Council on American-Islamic Relations of Arizona (CAIR-AZ).
Quezada joined up with the chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy nonprofit over the weekend during their annual banquet. This career move follows his 2022 loss in the race to become Arizona’s treasurer against incumbent Kimberly Yee, and failure to achieve confirmation on a nomination from Governor Katie Hobbs.
Quezada has a long history of sympathizing with Muslim causes.
In 2016, Quezada voted against the state’s first law prohibiting the state from initiating any Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) against Israel.
In a 2021 speech for CAIR-AZ, Quezada accused the Israel government of being a “Zionist state” enacting terrorism. Quezada also called for President Joe Biden to cease funding to the Israeli military.
“All of those billions of dollars, that is directing military aid that is going to occupation forces that are committing terrorism against the people of Palestine right now,” said Quezada at the time. “This — what we are witnessing — is oppression and occupation in action right now. This is murder in action right now.”
Last year, Quezada failed to be confirmed as the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AROC) director due to his extensive support for the BSD movement. Quezada had purged a number of anti-Israel posts from his timeline in preparation for confirmation, notably one post in which he urged followers to listen to a speech from Michigan Rashida Tlaib demanding the freeing of Palestine.
His timeline has recommenced its criticisms against Israel, last week retweeting a viral post which read “‘Violence isn’t the answer’ unless you’re Israel, the American government, the police, military-trained vigilantes, or a for-profit healthcare system.”
In 2022, Quezada screened a documentary, “Boycott,” detailing various states’ efforts to overturn laws prohibiting BDS actions by the state.
That same year, during his campaign for the state treasurer’s seat, Quezada rejected claims that he was antisemitic.
“First of all, the antisemitism charge, flat-out wrong, and it’s ridiculous to even suggest that,” said Quezada. “I am not antisemitic, hard stop, full period right there.”
CAIR-AZ’s executive director, Azza Abuseif, was the state director for NextGen America in Arizona. Abuseif and her family came to the U.S. as refugees from Sudan. Abuseif also serves as a lead organizer for Women’s March Phoenix, and formerly served as board president for the Arizona Democracy Resource Center.
CAIR-AZ provides free legal services to those who believe they have been discriminated against for being Muslim, and they advocate for the inclusion and acceptance of the Islamic religion.
The nonprofit maintains a running list of Islamophoic individuals and organizations, including: Ann Coulter, ACT For America, the Anti-Defamation League, Bill Maher, Fox News, Glenn Beck, National Review, and Steven Crowder.
The national affiliate, CAIR, is an entity of the Muslim Brotherhood linked to activities engaged in by Hamas, the terrorist organization behind last year’s terrorist attack on Israel.
CAIR leaders celebrated the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | May 12, 2024 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Arizona State University (ASU) banned a professor after his verbal confrontation with a Muslim woman on campus went viral online.
ASU professor Jonathan Yudelman, a School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership postdoctoral research scholar, confronted a hijab-clad Muslim woman during a pro-Israel protest near campus last Sunday, captured in viral footage amplified by pro-Hamas activists.
The events leading up to the heated, expletive-laden exchange weren’t captured or circulated, and the identity of the woman is unknown. It is also not known if she is an ASU student.
“You’re disrespecting my religious boundaries,” said the woman.
“What does this have to do with religion? You’re spewing hate,” said the man with Yudelman, former IDF soldier Sammy Ben.
“You disrespect my sense of humanity, b****,” said Yudelman.
“Get the f*** out of my face,” responded the woman.
“Get the f*** out of here,” said Yudelman.
“Go back to Jihad,” said Ben, to which another woman recording the viral exchange began screaming “Hate Crime!” and yelling for the cops to come handle the two men. At that point, Ben turned around to face the woman filming.
“What do you say about the seventh of October? Do you have an opinion about it? You also glorified it? You’re happy about it?” asked Ben.
Clemson University professor C. Bradley Thompson, a peer of Yudelman, offered some background to the viral exchange: the mystery woman had allegedly engaged by verbally accosting him first, and Yudelman wasn’t initially part of the pro-Israel protest.
According to Thompson, Yudelman is talking with a lawyer about his situation.
ASU President Michael Crow said in a statement that Yudelman was not only dismissed, but completely banned from campus and future teaching opportunities.
“He is no longer permitted to be on campus and will never teach here again,” said Crow.
Yudelman resigned before Sunday’s incident, though his resignation wasn’t scheduled to take effect until the end of June. Yudelman is an associate professor with University of Austin, a new private university enrolling its first undergraduate class this fall.
Yudelman formerly held positions with Harvard University, Princeton University, Baylor University, and the University of Texas.
Activists and organizations such as the Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ) demanded Yudelman to be arrested and fired for the exchange.
CAIR-AZ Executive Director Azza Abuseif said Yudelman’s rhetoric amounted to a “broader pattern of Islamophobia and religious intolerance weaponized by pro-Israel, pro-genocide extremists.” Abuseif also called for any criminal charges possible to be filed.
In a Wednesday press release, ASU reported that it had placed Yudelman on leave on Monday pending their investigation. The university referred the matter to Tempe police.
“Arizona State University protects freedom of speech and expression but does not tolerate threatening or violent behavior,” said ASU. “While peaceful protest is welcome, all incidents of violent or threatening behavior will be addressed.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
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