CAIR-NJ Condemns Sen. Cory Booker’s Refusal to Block Weapons for Israel’s Genocide, Praises Sen. Andy Kim for His Vote on Sanders’s JRD
(NEWARK, NJ – 8/01/25) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today criticized the NJ U.S. Sen. Cory Booker for his continued support of U.S. weapons transfers to Israel amid the ongoing genocide and mass starvation in Gaza. At the same time, CAIR-NJ praised Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) for voting in favor of Sen. Bernie Sanders’s Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (S.J.Res.34 and S.J.Res.41) to block U.S. arms sales to Israel.
Sen. Booker has failed to act to stop U.S. complicity in that crisis, including refusing to support Sanders’s resolutions to block offensive weapons shipments.
In a statement addressed to Booker CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:
“We are deeply alarmed by your refusal to support urgent efforts to block U.S. weapons transfers to Israel, which have enabled the ongoing mass killing and starvation of civilians in Gaza. At this stage, inaction is a moral failure. You cannot credibly condemn the suffering in Gaza while voting to fund the tools that cause it.”
In contrast, CAIR-NJ praised Sen. Andy Kim for his principled vote to block weapons sales, joining 26 Democrats in support of blocking the sale of bombs.
“Sen. Kim’s vote reflected moral clarity and a willingness to uphold human rights. His leadership offers a much-needed example at a time when too many elected officials are enabling genocide through inaction.”
CAIR-NJ continues to call on all New Jersey elected officials to:
- Allow unimpeded UN-backed aid into Gaza
- Support an immediate and permanent ceasefire
- End all U.S. weapons transfers to Israel
- Publicly recognize the unfolding genocide in Gaza
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: Executive Director of CAIR-NJ, Selaedin Maksut, 908-668-5900, smaksut@cair.com
