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.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Jan 11, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
A prominent Hamas supporter and online influencer was arrested again this week, this time for trespassing.
Saiaf Abdallah — the Gilbert-area CEO of the Tempe-based Voyage Medical who goes by the username “Resistance is Beautiful” online — was arrested for trespassing after refusing to leave a Lifetime gym in Gilbert from which he was asked to leave.
In his recording of an interaction with Lifetime management and police, Abdallah wore a black t-shirt that read “Israel Kills Children… and we pay for it with taxes.” The management member informed Abdallah that he had trespassed because his membership wasn’t active. In response, Abdallah questioned whether the employee was motivated by bigotry or racism.
“Is the problem the shirt? Or the skin color?” asked Abdallah. “Are you offended by the shirt, or by the fact that you guys kill all of the Palestinians in the gyms over there?”
Abdallah then claimed to cops that the gym staff trespassed him for his shirt, not his inactive membership.
“They’ve always said, ‘Oh that shirt is offensive’ — typical Gilbert white supremacy stuff,” said Abdallah.
Following his latest arrest, Abdallah launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to cover the cost of court cases and his protesting across the state. As of this report, Abdallah’s GoFundMe has raised over $11,000 of its $12,000 goal from about 250 donors.
Abdallah has had frequent run-ins with law enforcement over his activism.
Earlier this week, Abdallah was detained for obstructing a public thoroughfare along a busy road. Like in his other videos, Abdallah wore his “Israel Kills Children” t-shirt, along with a keffiyeh headband. As he does in other videos frequently, Abdallah carried a Palestinian flag on a makeshift flagpole.
In 2023, Abdallah was arrested at a pro-Hamas protest led by Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib at Arizona State University following Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel. In the months following that attack, Abdallah organized pro-Hamas protests at Arizona malls, including “die-ins” during Black Friday shopping, and helped coordinate a protest inside of Senator Mark Kelly’s office.
Although he was trespassed from ASU property in November 2023, Abdallah’s posted videos online show he participated in pro-Hamas protests on the public property abutting ASU campuses and around the Valley through the better half of last year.
Abdallah has been active with the Arizona chapter of CAIR. The national CAIR is an entity of the Muslim Brotherhood officially linked to Hamas activity.
Abdallah has been documented extensively by Canary Mission, an organization that profiles individuals and organizations promoting hatred of the U.S., Israel, and Jewish people.
Under the username “@Vingati2” on X, Abdallah expressed overt support for Hamas violence.
“Palestinians are going to take thousands more hostage. This is f*****g LIBERATION, and it isn’t pretty,” wrote Abdallah in one post.
“Hamas is eating your b***h a*s soldiers. They weak like you,” wrote Abdallah in another post. “Liberation is gonna get shoved down your f*****g throat.”
Abdallah’s father, Akram Abdallah, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2010 for making false statements to the FBI regarding his raising funds for the Holy Land Foundation for Relief & Development (HLF), a criminal organization that provided material support for Hamas. Character support letters submitted to the sentencing court identified Abdallah as the son of Akram Abdallah.
Abdallah maintained similar sentiments as his father around that time. While his father was facing trial for his ties to Hamas, Abdallah was active with Students For Justice in Palestine (SFJP) while attending Arizona State University. Abdallah filmed and edited multiple videos of SFJP activism.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Dec 26, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A Republican Congressman is pushing back against a controversial report regarding one of America’s strongest allies.
Earlier this month, U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani reacted to a report from Amnesty International about Israel and its fight against terrorists, writing, “Amnesty International’s baseless accusation against Israel is not only false, it is an antisemitic attack against the Jewish state as it fights to defend its people against Iran-backed terrorist proxies. The U.S. must reject this dishonest attack and continue to stand firmly with our ally in its fight against terrorism.”
In that report, Amnesty International asserted, “There is only one reasonable inference that can be drawn from the evidence presented: genocidal intent has been part and parcel of Israel’s conduct in Gaza since 7 October 2023, including its military campaign.”
The Israel Defense Forces vigorously confronted the accusations, saying, “The report’s allegations of genocide and intentional harm are not only unfounded but also ignore Hamas’ violations of international law, including its use of civilians as human shields and its deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians.”
AIPAC took special umbrage against the report, releasing a lengthy statement in response. The pro-Israel organization stated, “Once again Amnesty International has issued a slanderous attack on Israel that amounts to a blood libel against the Jewish state. In reality, it is Israel that has been the victim of a genocidal attack that was launched by proxies of the Iranian regime that has vowed to eliminate the Jewish state. Israel is doing what any other country would do when faced with enemies that seek its elimination – it is fighting a just and moral war of self-defense.”
AIPAC added, “This outrageous report is just the latest in a long line of biased anti-Israel missives from Amnesty, whose U.S. branch is run by an individual who doesn’t believe Israel should exist as a Jewish state and has been unanimously criticized by House Jewish Democrats for his ‘alarming and deeply offensive’ views.”
Back in April, Congressman Ciscomani joined some of his colleagues on an official delegation visit to Israel. According to a press release from his office, Ciscomani “met with top Israeli officials, participated in a briefing with former Israel Defense Forces military personnel, heard from families of current hostages held by Hamas, and visited sites of the October 7 attacks. After his visit, Ciscomani said, “This trip has equipped me and my colleagues with a better understanding of what the Israeli people experience every day, and how the United States can continue to support them in this critical mission.”
Ciscomani was just re-elected to his second term in the U.S. House of Representatives in a critical swing-district seat to help Republicans maintain control of the chamber. He serves on the Appropriations and Veterans’ Affairs Committees; and he is a member of the Western, Border Security, Taiwan, School Choice, and DOGE Caucuses.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
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 Daniel Stefanski | Oct 9, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Elected officials from around Arizona solemnly marked the first anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel.
One year ago, Israel was attacked by Hamas terrorists, who took advantage of completely unsuspecting communities to inflict horrific harms and devastation on innocent men, women, and children.
Ben Toma, the Arizona Speaker of the House of Representatives, announced that he had “issued a legislative proclamation declaring October 7, 2024, as a Day of Observance to honor the victims of the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel.” Speaker Toma said, “The people of Arizona share in the grief of those affected by the attack and stand in solidarity with Israel as they continue to defend their nation and strive for peace.”
Toma’s proclamation encouraged all Arizonans, including his fellow lawmakers, “to observe a moment a silence on this day to honor those whose lives were lost and to stand in unity with those who remain in captivity.”
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs posted, “One year ago today, Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel took away the hopes and dreams of innocent people forever. My heart is with the families who mourn, the hostages who should be home, and the entire country of Israel as they pray and grieve.”
Attorney General Kris Mayes added, “On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas committed horrifying acts of violence, killing and kidnapping Israelis, sowing fear and agony in Jewish communities around the world. Together we must stand firm against all forms of hatred and commit to building a world that values dialogue over division, working toward a future where Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace.”
State Senator Frank Carroll wrote, “On this solemn day, my heart breaks for the Israelis who’ve suffered such horrifying acts of evil by Hamas and Iran, as well as for the hostages who are still enduring torturous conditions… We must stand united against this evil and support a permanent end to the war happening in the Middle East. I urge all Arizonans to speak out against the injustices our Jewish friends are experiencing and to condemn all antisemitic acts in the strongest sense. May the good Lord protect our world from the Iranian-directed terrorists who are attempting to spread death and destruction upon the innocent.”
State Representative Alma Hernandez stated, “Oct 7, 2023 The longest and most painful year for many of us. It was the day we realized who our real friends were, and it was the day I lost a lot of hope in humanity. May we never forget the innocent lives taken from us and the 101 hostages 13 of them women still being held by Hamas terrorist.”
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said, “Today we remember the one-year anniversary of the attack on Israel. I pray for the safe return of the remaining hostages taken that day as well as for the families whose loved ones were killed.”
Peoria Mayor Jason Beck gave the following comment to AZ Free News: “Shortly after the October 7 attacks, I saw the places and heard the witness accounts of what took place. I will never forget the barbarity of the enemies of Israel. The Bible says that there is a time for peace and a time for war. I pray for the peace of Israel and know they must win the war against terrorists so they can have security. America needs to know that Israel’s fight is our fight. It is a fight for dignity and human rights. That is why I proudly fly the flag of Israel and support American leaders who understand that Israel’s cause is our cause.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
