Our statement on the anti-Palestinian incident that occured during the Doctor’s for Choice x Abortion Talk Conference

We were overjoyed to be invited to attend the Doctors for Choice and Abortion Talk conference today, speaking about our work, our community and our commitment to Reproductive Justice. We were specifically invited to speak on a panel about the need to build solidarity and not view abortion as a single struggle issue. The whole point of this panel was to highlight the need for solidarity. As part of this, we gave a speech that referenced the Israeli settler colonialism occurring in Palestine and the current genocide. Our mentions of Palestine were brief, but we (specifically AZ) were singled out as the only Muslim on the panel by a member of the audience who was insistent on sharing zionist views.

The individual made claims that the genocide in Palestine was not proven, that we did not yet know if genocide was actually occurring, and that they ‘did not come here to hear about Palestine.’ They went on to speak about Hamas and the claims of sexual violence that have since been disproven. In addition to this, they chose to pink and purple wash the genocide by highlighting how Israel has good reproductive rights, whilst neglecting the ways in which the Israeli state has perpetrated reproductive violence on Palestinian and Black Jewish people. They also made reference to the idea that a significant amount of the Israeli population were from surrounding countries, as if the settler colonialism is made any better when it is perpetrated by non-white bodies. The individual continued to conflate anti-semitism with anti-zionism, and when AZ was given the opportunity to speak, continuously spoke over her.

We would like to name this singling out of AZ as Islamophobic, provocative and disrespectful. We reject the belief that critiquing the zionist regime is anti-semitic. We affirm that it is fundamentally Islamophobic to expect any Muslim to speak on behalf of Hamas just because we are Muslim. We are naming it in public to challenge the continuous silencing of Muslim voices in the reproductive rights world, as well as wider society. When harm is done to Muslim people, the bare minimum we can do is name it and acknowledge that it occurred. As AZ said, this act of zionist outrage was a perfect example of the harm that is caused when white people centre their own feelings, refuse to listen to marginalised people, and speak over Black, Brown and Muslim individuals. We will not be silent in the face Islamophobia.

We remain steadfast in our efforts for a free and decolonised Palestine. We remain steadfast in our belief that there is no reproductive freedom or indeed Reproductive Justice without a free Palestine.

Palestine is not a Muslim issue. Palestinians are of all and no faiths. But our commitment to justice and liberation - as a Muslim Reproductive Justice collective - is something we view as an Islamic duty.

Our unwavering dedication to the liberation of our siblings across the world who are facing oppression is a part of our Islamic practice.

We will not stop until liberation is ours.

We would like to thank our friends and comrades for their solidarity today. In particular, to our comrades at Reproductive Justice Initiative and Sisters Uncut who ensured AZ was not isolated in her response to these provocations and was as safe as could be in such a distressing situation. We would also like to acknowledge that the views shared by this individual were not shared or encouraged by the conference organisers. We will be sharing our speech and some of our reflections from what was otherwise a beautiful gathering in due course.

May Allah bless us all.

May Palestine see freedom in our lifetimes.