When they tell you who they are … believe them.

This clip from MEMRI published earlier today prompts all sorts of questions, but not all that many about the nature of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). It has a long history of shady connections to terror orgs, which prompted the Department of Justice to list CAIR as an unindicted co-conspirator in its prosecution of the Holy Land Foundation (HLF) for terror-related financing in 2008. The FBI cut ties with CAIR shortly afterward, but the US news media has continued to use CAIR to represent mainstream Muslims in the US.

Will they continue to do so after its co-founder, Nihad Awad, has publicly cheered the October 7 massacres and declared Israel an illegitimate “occupier” of Arab lands?

CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad at AMP Convention: I Was Happy to See the People of Gaza Break the Siege on October 7; They Were Victorious; the People of Gaza Have the Right to Self-Defense – Israel Does Not #Hamas #Gaza #Palestinians @CAIRNational @NihadAwad pic.twitter.com/WDbSRjFJo0

— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) December 7, 2023

“Yes, I was happy to see people breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land and walk free into their land that they were not allowed to walk in,” Council on American-Islamic Relations Executive Director Nihad Awad said at a November conference hosted by American Muslims for Palestine. Audience members cheered Awad’s remarks.

Awad characterized the Oct. 7 attack as “self-defense,” which he said Palestinians have a right to — while Israelis do not.

“Yes, the people of Gaza have the right to self-defense, had the right to defend themselves,” said Awad. “Yes, Israel as an occupying power does not have that right to self-defense.” Awad did not mention Hamas in his speech; he did not differentiate between “the people of Gaza” and the perpetrators of the Oct. 7 attack.

“Gaza became the liberation source, the inspiration for so many people,” said Awad. “The Gazans were victorious.”

Let’s parse out the arguments made by Awad, because they are instructive. First off, as Gabby Deutch points out at Jewish Insider, Awad dispenses with the US media distinction between Hamas and the Gazans. He credits the latter with the ‘victory’ of 10/7 and doesn’t mention Hamas at all. We have argued consistently that there is no distinction between the two, especially since Gazans elected Hamas to power. Awad (and presumably CAIR) clearly believes that Hamas does represent Gazans and Palestinians, the opposite of what the US media and the Biden administration claim.

To be fair, though, that may be because Awad is a creature of Hamas. Newsweek ran a column in June 2022 that reminded readers of the origins of CAIR and Awad’s resumé:

CAIR was incorporated by Omar Ahmad, Rafiq Jaber and Nihad Awad in 1994. To become its founding director, Awad left his position as public relations director for the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), which has been described by the FBI counterterrorism chief as “a front organization for Hamas that engages in propaganda for Islamic militants,” and by the U.S. government itself as a founding member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s “Palestine Committee.” Ahmad was the IAP president at that time, while Jaber became IAP president in 1996.

Within a month after its formation, CAIR, which was soon listed as a “working organization” by the Palestine Committee, received a $5,000 check—followed weeks later by a $5,000 wire transfer—from the Holy Land Foundation (HLF). …

When CAIR was first accused in U.S. Senate testimony of receiving seed money from the HLF, Ahmad denied it, while Awad called it an “outright lie.” Presented with a copy of the check, Awad revised his testimony, describing a $5,000 check less than three weeks after incorporation as “a donation like any other.”

It’s certainly in Hamas’ interest, and that of its affiliates and allies, to cast itself as the full representation of Palestinian interests. Based on what we saw in Gaza during their continuing conflicts with Israel and especially immediately after 10/7, it also appears accurate. Gazans have given little indication of rejection of Hamas until now.

It’s no surprise that Awad is “happy” about the attacks, even while being absurdly dishonest about them. The Gazans that attacked Israel did a lot more than just “walk” around there. They raped, pillaged, and slaughtered civilians by the hundreds, all while recording video of their barbarity for the enjoyment of Gazans back at home. Whether or not Awad acknowledges the specifics of what they did, pronouncing himself “happy” about the Gazans’ “victorious” actions on 10/7 amounts to an outright endorsement of that slaughter. And the audience’s enthusiastic response to Awad’s declarations at the November conference amounts to their own endorsement of terrorism, too.

It’s also no surprise how CAIR frames the terrorist attack either. Awad refers to Gaza as a “concentration camp” and the Israel-Egypt containment strategy for Hamas there a “siege,” but that’s based on the conviction that Israel is entirely illegitimate. That’s why Awad says the attack allowed the Gazans to “walk free in their own land, which they were not allowed to walk in.” He’s not talking about Gaza, which Israel stopped occupying in 2005. He’s talking about Israel itself. That’s also why Awad claims that the Israelis have no right to self-defense.

So as it turns out, CAIR’s co-founder believes in the genocidal eradication of Israel and the murders of Jews who live in ‘Palestine.’ That certainly lines up with Hamas’ public statements. Will CAIR’s PR in the US reflect that? More importantly, will US media finally recognize the radical nature of CAIR and its leadership and stop promoting it as a legitimate voice in American politics?

Probably not. But I’d settle for the US government ending its engagement with CAIR … especially on their plans to combat anti-Semitism.

Update: Calling Winston Smith, Winston Smith to the INGSOC courtesy phone …

The White House today scrubbed the mention of the Council on American-Islamic Relations from its National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. CAIR was listed on this document earlier today; now it's gone. I have a copy of the original, as do WH reporters. https://t.co/DZYPdeDAcU https://t.co/XG9Wms2jYm

— Kelly Jane Torrance (@KJTorrance) December 7, 2023

The White House is scrambling to distance itself from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) after its leader appeared to say that he was “happy” to see Palestinians in Gaza “break the siege” during Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 terrorist attack against Israel. …

After being contacted regarding the comments, a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital they are removing the group from its publicly listed pledge to fight antisemitism.

The White House spokesperson said CAIR was “one of several independent organizations” listed in a supplemental document regarding the efforts and that the White House is “removing their commitment” from the record.

Gee, who could have predicted that an organization with connections to Hamas and which had been an unindicted co-conspirator in a DoJ prosection  terror financing might have the potential to embarrass Joe Biden?