The San Jose City Council has raised human rights issues, claims due to Islamophobia, and Tolerance to Islam.
The mayor of the United States was banned from traveling to Qatar after a move to block visits by the city council.
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo’s plan to travel to the capital of Katari was rejected by the council with an 8-3 vote on alleged human rights issues.
According to the local San Jose spotlight in California, the mayor was invited by Doha authorities to attend the Qatar Foundation’s Institute for Environmental Energy from June 11th to 13th to learn about the Institute’s water-saving activities.
According to the report, all travel accommodation and meals are subject to Doha and are “legally considered a gift to San Jose.”
“On Tuesday, the city council voted 8-3 to reject the gift,” the report said.
Regarding the vote, Council member Devora Davis said: [Liccardo] Go there.
“we [City Council] We voted to limit city travel to American cities for less than leveled abuse and allegations against Qatar. “
despite this, Doha News Despite various reports by global rights groups on human rights abuses against both countries, it was found that members of the city council had previously approved trips to Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Mayor Ricardo himself will visit Israel from December 14-22, 2019 to better understand “significant policy issues affecting both Israel and the United States” and more about “Israel’s policy” and “society”. I learned a lot.
This trip was sponsored by the American Israeli Education Foundation. As of 2014, the New York Times reported that “hundreds of Washington lawmakers” sponsored by the program went to Palestine.
“The American Israeli Education Foundation was more prolific than any other country in sponsoring overseas travel for MPs and their staff.” Therefore, the organization has become a “flagger of foreign parliamentary travel.” rice field.
A pro-Israeli supporter in Washington reportedly said the visit was described by lawmakers as a “Jewish trip to Disneyland.”
The American Israel Public Affairs Foundation is the education division of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a fierce Zionist advocate.
A February Amnesty International report amplifies previous reports by Palestinian rights groups on apartheid crimes against Israeli indigenous peoples, pointing out that there is clearly no accountability mechanism within the global community.
Separately, in May 2018, former San Jose councilor Johnny Kamis, along with representatives of the Silicon Valley organization, Google Ventures and other business people, “encourage the kingdom to invest in Silicon Valley.” I went to Saudi Arabia for.
In February 2018, Amnesty International released a detailed report on apparent human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia. This includes the execution of Sia activists, discrimination against minorities, restrictions on freedom of expression, torture of detainees and other ill-treatment.
Certain council members were most rejected in San Jose’s Council City because their trip to Qatar was a “bad” expression of San Jose’s values.
Disputes against the mayor’s trip
The mayor, along with deputy mayor and councilor David Cohen, voted in favor of Qatar’s travel plans.
Councilors Raul Perales and Sylvia Arenas spoke with Davis to oppose Ricardo’s visit to the Arab world, claiming that the trip “doesn’t have to represent San Jose’s values, it’s not a good expression.” did.
“Ricard agreed that Qatar did not support the same democratic values ​​and freedoms as San Jose, but said the country made efforts to democratize the country,” the report said.
He further noted Doha’s decision that “women give the right to vote at the same time as men, and women can run for public office.” The mayor also reiterated that US President Joe Biden described Qatar as a non-NATO ally in Washington.
“There are many areas in which we all agree that Qatar does not agree with what we are doing in our country,” Ricardo said. “On the other hand, Qatar was like a beacon in many ways,” a local report quotes.
He also states that Doha has made “significant advances” in its water-saving strategies, desalination methodologies, and diesel-related technologies that may be in favor of San Jose, revealing that this is the reason for the visit. did.
“I’m focused on water and I know they’re making a lot of money by providing drinking water to 3 million people,” Ricardo said. “Still, if we don’t communicate, we won’t travel or learn.”
The California-based mayor said that “a single city dollar will not be used” in Qatar, according to reports that his trip was paid.
For example, if he had to pay for Uber, “it would be his own dime,” he said.
Islamophobia at the discussion table
Maha Elgenaidi, founder and director of innovation at the Islamic Networks Group, claimed that some of the claims made by the council were contaminated with feelings of Islamophobia. To “criticize Qatar” or “injustice government”.
Mr. Ergenaidi said that the way the city council “explains some of Qatar’s injustices” using Shariah has nothing to do with what Islam represents, so it is unfair to blame Shariah or Islam. Said there is.
“My dissatisfaction lies in the contempt of Islam, which directly affects the level of hatred and discrimination against members of the American community of Islam,” Elgenaidi told San Jose Spotlight.
She emphasized some disturbing Islamophobia commentary by the councilor arena, claiming that she was “afraid to go to Qatar as a woman.”
Ergenaidi also referred to Ricardo’s statement on a particular “element of Islamic law in Qatar’s legal system indicates that it is unjustified to the state.”
The council’s conversation showed a clear intolerance to Islam. Ergenaidi said the conversation underscores that the city council should be trained in anti-racism.
