CAIR-NY Condemns Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for Supporting Continued Arms to Israel, Applauds Senators Who Voted to Block Weapons for Genocide
(NEW YORK, NY, 7/31/25) - The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), part of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today commends the 27 US senators who voted to block US weapons shipments to Israel and expresses strong disappointment in New York Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand’s vote (D-NY) to continue weapons transfers to Israel.
CAIR-NY recognizes this vote as a historic sign of progress in the fight to end US complicity in what many international human rights organizations have described as mass atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. This vote was the first time a majority of the Senate Democratic Caucus supported stopping offensive arms transfers to Israel.
SEE: BREAKING: In a First, Majority of Democratic Senators Vote to Stop Arming Israel
📣 TAKE ACTION: Click here to thank the 27 senators — and hold others accountable, including NY Senators Schumer and Gillibrand.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced two resolutions, S.J. Res. 34 and S.J. Res. 41, aimed at halting major arms deals totaling $675.7 million. These deals include bombs and JDAM kits, which have been used in Gaza to strike homes, hospitals, and shelters, as well as fully automatic rifles for Israeli forces, including units associated with settler militias under Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, amid ongoing violence and displacement in the occupied West Bank.
SEE: Sanders Forces Vote to Stop Arms Sales to Israel Amid Starvation in Gaza
In a statement, CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher, Esq., said:
“We applaud the 27 senators who took a stand against genocide. Here in New York, we are especially outraged that Senator Schumer, the Senate’s top Democrat, and Senator Gillibrand voted to continue fueling war crimes with American tax dollars. They ignored the will of their constituents and chose to side with policies of apartheid, collective punishment, and the destruction of innocent lives. We urge members of our community, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Palestinian, and all people of conscience, to demand accountability and an end to US involvement in this humanitarian crisis.”
While both Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) voted against the resolutions, choosing to continue arming a genocidal regime, over 60,000 Palestinians have died, and 143,000 have been injured. Additionally, there are disturbing allegations that more than 1,000 starving civilians have been executed while trying to reach aid.
Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem has described Israel’s actions as constituting apartheid and genocide, echoing Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and countless other human rights organizations.
SEE: B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel: Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip
CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher, Esq., adds:
“Despite Senator Schumer and Gillibrand’s votes, most Senate Democrats supported halting arms transfers to Israel. We must keep going. We must continue mobilizing until this growing shift in public and political sentiment results in a permanent ceasefire and an end to the violence in Gaza.”
CAIR-NY urges all New Yorkers to contact Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to express concern about ongoing weapons transfers. Community members are encouraged to use CAIR’s August Recess Toolkit to advocate for an end to US arms transfer to Israel. Under US law, these weapons transfers violate the:
Foreign Assistance Act which prohibits aid to governments committing human rights violations,
Arms Export Control Act which restricts arms to self-defense,
Section 620I which bars aid to countries obstructing humanitarian assistance.
“This isn’t about politics. It's about humanity.” added Nasher. “We cannot stay silent while New York’s leaders fund mass suffering and apartheid with our tax dollars.”
CAIR-NY's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-NY es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Afaf Nasher, Esq., CAIR-NY Executive Director, CAIR-NY, 917-669-4006, anasher@cair.com; CAIR-NY Communications Team, comms@ny.cair.com