Designated terrorist-linked group CAIR condemns Jewish Heritage Month display as “Islamophobic” because it memorializes Israeli Jews murdered by Muslim terrorists

Multiple Muslim UC-San Diego students expressed concern to CAIR about the display located at UCSD’s Price Center. Intended to represent the 30,961 Israeli lives “impacted as a result of radical Islamic terrorism and war,” the number appears to reference data published by Israel’s Ministry of Defense and National Insurance Institute in anticipation of the Jewish holiday Yom HaZikaron.

CAIR In a statement, CAIR-SD Executive Director Tazheen Nizam condemned the display’s Islamophobic rhetoric:

“While we unequivocably mourn the loss of all innocent life (no, you don’t, as you keep proving) and reject antisemitism (says  one of the worst antisemitic groups in America), framing a political conflict by equating Islam with terrorism and violence is profoundly harmful. Phrases such as ‘radical Islamic terrorism’ do not simply reference acts of violence but instead connect an entire religion and its followers to those acts.

“It is also historically inaccurate to label every Israeli soldier death since 1948 as “radical Islamic terrorism.” The conflict long predates recent events and has involved wars, occupation, displacement, and political struggle across generations.

“We demand that UCSD remove this display and take meaningful steps to protect its Muslim students from rhetoric that perpetuates harmful stereotypes about their faith and identity.” 

Yom HaZikaron honors Israel’s war and terror victims, with a viral post clarifying the day’s true meaning of reflection.

IB Times Yom HaZikaron is marked by solemnity rather than festivity. Across Israel, sirens sound nationwide, bringing daily life to a complete standstill as citizens pause in silence. Roads halt, conversations cease, and people stand in reflection, illustrating the profound unity of remembrance. (See video below)

The viral post clarifies this distinction, emphasising that the day centres on honouring those lost rather than celebrating. ‘Today, on Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, we remember,’ the post reads, before detailing the cumulative toll of lives lost. The message serves both as tribute and as a corrective to misconceptions that may arise from linguistic or cultural differences in interpreting national observances.

The figures highlighted — 30,961 lives in total — represent decades of conflict, spanning military engagements and acts of terrorism. According to data published by Israel’s Ministry of Defense and National Insurance Institute ahead of Memorial Day, the inclusion of civilians underscores the broad impact of violence on Israeli society, where attacks have often targeted non-combatants.

Particular attention is given to recent events, notably the 7 October 2023 attacks in southern Israel. The post explicitly references the ‘innocent lives taken’ during the massacre, which marked a significant escalation in violence and triggered the ongoing conflict known as the Swords of Iron war.