Sen. Tammy Baldwin condemns head of Islamic group CAIR over remarks on Oct. 7 attacks in Israel

WASHINGTON – Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin on Friday joined the Biden administration in condemning remarks from the head of an American-Islamic advocacy organization in which he said he was “happy to see” Palestinians leave Gaza and cross into Israel on Oct. 7 — the day Hamas terrorists attacked Israel and killed more than 1,200 people.

Baldwin in a statement called the remarks from Nihad Awad, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, known as CAIR, antisemitic and said she has lost faith in the group as a result. Awad in a clip from the recent speech said, in part, that Israel “does not have that right to self-defense.” He’s since said his words were taken out of context.

“I condemn these blatantly antisemitic comments in no uncertain terms,” Baldwin told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “and these remarks have led to me completely losing faith in the organization and its work.”

The Madison Democrat’s pushback on CAIR came a day after the White House labeled Awad’s remarks as “shocking” and antisemitic. “The atrocities of that day shock the conscience, which is why we can never forget the pain Hamas has caused for so many innocent people,” Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said Thursday.

CAIR, a non-profit advocacy group, says its goal is to “promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America” and encourage political and social activism for American Muslims. It has faced accusations from Republicans over the years of being sympathetic to groups like Hamas but has rejected those claims.

Awad made his remarks, a segment of which were circulated on social media this week, during an American Muslims for Palestine convention in late November. In the short clip posted to X by the Washington-based Middle East Media Research Institute, Awad appears to celebrate the decision to break down barriers and enter Israel on Oct. 7

“The people of Gaza only decided to break the siege, the walls of the concentration camp, on Oct. 7,” Awad said in the clip. “And 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.”

He added: “And yes, the people of Gaza have the right to self-defense, have the right to defend themselves. And yes, Israel as an occupying power does not have that right to self-defense.”

In a statement Thursday, Awad said his comments were taken out of context by MEMRI, which he called an “anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian hate website.” He said he “condemned violence against all civilians and all forms of bigotry, specifically including Islamophobia and antisemitism” in his full remarks.

He said antisemitism “is an attack on humanity and should be clearly condemned by all people.”

“The average Palestinians who briefly walked out of Gaza and set foot on their ethnically cleansed land in a symbolic act of defiance against the blockade and stopped there without engaging in violence were within their rights under international law,” Awad said. “The extremists who went on to attack civilians in southern Israel were not.”

Baldwin, for her part, once praised CAIR in a September 2018 letter commending the group’s “24 years of excellence.” She wrote at the time that she appreciated “all that you do in defense of justice and civil liberties throughout our state and nation.”

“You deserve to be proud of your work to promote mutual understanding by countering prejudice and combating Islamophobia,” Baldwin wrote to CAIR in 2018. “I commend your dedication to equality and your efforts to protect the civil rights and freedom of expression (for) all Americans, regardless of their faith. Now more than ever, it is critical that you continue the fight for civil discourse and civic engagement.”

She concluded the letter: “If I can ever be of assistance to your important mission, please do not hesitate to reach out.”

More than 100 other Democratic lawmakers sent similar letters to CAIR at the time.

Still, Wisconsin Republicans were quick to seize on that letter this week as Baldwin prepares for her 2024 re-election that could determine the balance of the Senate. Madison banking mogul Eric Hovde is expected to join the Republican race to challenge Baldwin with the support of national Republican groups.

Republican Party of Wisconsin Chair Brian Schimming in a statement Thursday said Baldwin’s letter “underscores her poor judgment and reckless disregard for national security.”

On Friday, however, Baldwin repudiated CAIR and accused the group of antisemitism.

“There are no two ways about this,” Baldwin said. “Hamas’s October 7th terrorist attacks on Israel were completely horrific — innocent Israelis were slaughtered, hundreds of civilians were kidnapped, and now, countless families are grieving and afraid.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tammy Baldwin repudiates CAIR over director's remarks on Israel