Detroit Evening Report: Lawsuit aims to expedite safe return of Palestinian Americans from Gaza
Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” podcast.
Palestinians take shelter from Israeli bombardment at a school in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct.16, 2023.
The Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee and the Arab Civil Rights League filed a lawsuit in federal court last week over the handling of the evacuation of U.S. citizens from the Gaza Strip.
Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
The lawsuit was filed against the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Defense on behalf of a Livonia family and other Palestinian Americans who are currently stuck in the Gaza Strip in an effort to initiate and expedite their evacuation from the region.
According to the organizations, credible reports have shown that the State Department has not engaged in efforts to safely evacuate U.S. citizens from the Gaza Strip, despite reportedly chartering flights to assist Israeli Americans seeking to escape the ongoing conflict.
“Our lawsuit underscores a grave concern: the deeply troubling inaction of the U.S. Government in ensuring the safety and well-being of its own citizens,” said ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub, in a statement. “We believe that every American deserves the unequivocal support and protection of their government when faced with life-threatening circumstances.”
Other headlines for Oct. 16, 2023:
- Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud posted on X Sunday night that he’s ramping up security and police patrol in neighborhoods and places of worship in the city following recent events in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
- The Detroit chapter of the organization Jewish Voice for Peace hosted a rally and vigil on Monday, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the negotiation of a peaceful return of Israeli hostages.
- The Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS) Detroit has become the first member in the world to get a certification in Mobility Mentoring through the Economic Mobility Exchange’s EMPath program.
- BridgeDetroit is hosting a town hall from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17 at the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation as part of it’s 2023 Conversation Series to discuss affordable water. Register here.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
