The American Center for Justice (ACJ) is a monitoring organization that claims to promote human rights focused on the Middle East. It is supportive of Palestinians over Israelis. ACJ criticized the United States and other countries for suspending funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) after Israeli intelligence implicated 12 of the UN aid workers in the Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians including music-festival attendees on October 7, 2023. ^{1 2} ACJ called a raid on the Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City a war crime, while failing to condemn the concert attack by Hamas in Israel. ³

ACJ endorsed the 2024 March on Washington for Gaza that advocated the end to all U.S. funding to Israel, claimed the U.S. was supporting genocide by funding Israel, and insisted that U.S. and Israeli officials be held accountable for alleged crimes against humanity. ACJ claims Israel has committed ethnic cleansing of children, women, and journalists under the pretext of self-defense. ^{4 5}

History

American Center for Justice was established in 2020 as a human-rights monitoring organization focused on the Middle East. ⁶ The group was established to highlight alleged human rights violations to institutions and international organizations. ⁷

Leadership

Latifa Jamel is president of the American Center for Justice. ⁸ Jamel is originally from Taiz, Yemen, and began her career has an academic advisor and social-studies teacher in local schools. ⁹ Jamel immigrated to the United States in the 1990s. ¹⁰ Jamel was board member of the International Council of Rights and Freedom, Yemeni American Coalition, and Yemen Aid, and writes on Yemen and human-rights issues. ¹¹

Jamel has advocated that Democrats vote “uncommitted” instead of for Joe Biden in the 2024 Democratic presidential primaries. ¹² Jamel urged voters to “abandon Biden” and on X, formerly Twitter, posted a hashtag condemning President Biden’s position on the Israel-Hamas conflict. ¹³ Jamel stated that she was determined to make Biden a one-term president. ¹⁴

Positions

UNRWA Funding

After 12 countries — the United States, Canada, Australia, Italy, the U.K., Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Romania, Austria, and Japan — suspended funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency when UNRWA staff were suspected of  participating in the terrorist attack on Israel in October 2023, ¹⁵ ACJ stated that the suspension of funding to UNRWA would double the impact of the humanitarian crisis on Palestinians. ¹⁶

Israel-Hamas War

American Center for Justice claims that Israel has committed ethnic cleansing of children, women, and journalists under the pretext of self-defense. ¹⁷ ACJ stated that raiding the Al-Shifa Medical Complex constituted a war crime under the pretext of searching for Israeli prisoners, even though Israel released videos of hostages being taken to the medical center and footage of underground tunnels claimed to be used by Hamas. ¹⁸

ACJ endorsed the January 2024 March on Washington for Gaza. ¹⁹ March participants demanded a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an end to U.S. funding of Israel, claimed the United States was supporting genocide in Gaza by funding Israel, insisted Israel committed war crimes in violation of international law, and demanded U.S. and Israeli officials be held accountable for crimes against humanity. ²⁰ ACJ supported South Africa bringing genocide crime charges against Israel for military actions in the Gaza Strip. ²¹

Ansar Allah (Houthis)

American Center for Justice has published reports and statements on history, education, and religion in Yemen. ²² ACJ opposes Ansar Allah (Houthi) control of parts of Yemen, alleging the Houthis incite violence; cause children to become soldiers in the army; insist on children’s loyalty to the Houthis; teach hatred, revenge, and violence; and use Houthi-controlled local governments to further its agenda. ²³

ACJ reported that the Houthis have indiscriminately planted landmines throughout Yemen in violation of an international anti-landmine treaty to which Yemen is a signatory. ²⁴

Tlaib Censure

ACJ expressed support for Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) when she was censured by the House of Representatives over comments made about Israel. ²⁵

Finances

In 2022, American Center for Justice reported net assets of $20,997. ²⁶ According to the organization’s tax returns, in 2022, it recorded $58,903 in revenue and $51,651 in expenses. ²⁷

1. “(ACJ): Suspending UNRWA Funding By 12 Countries Is An Immoral Bias at the Expense of the Suffering of the Palestinians.” American Center for Justice. January 30, 2024. Accessed March 25, 2024. https://acjus.org/l.php?l=e/2/A/c/1/4/4/4107.
2. Keller-Lynn, Carrie, and David Luhnow. “Intelligence Reveals Details of U.N. Agency Staff’s Links to Oct. 7 Attack.” Wall Street Journal, January 29, 2024. https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/at-least-12-u-n-agency-employees-involved-in-oct-7-attacks-intelligence-reports-say-a7de8f36.
3. “(ACJ): Storming Al-Shifa Hospital By the Israeli Army Is A Full-Fledged Crime in Light of Deafening International Silence.” November 15, 2023. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://acjus.org/l.html?l=e/2/A/c/1/4/4/4067; Smith, Alexander, Caroline Radnofsky, Matteo Moschella. “Israel Says New Videos Show Hamas Hostages and A Tunnel at Al-Shifa Hospital.” NBC News. November 20, 2023. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-video-hamas-hostages-al-shifa-hospital-tunnel-gaza-rcna125948.
4. “What We Want.” March on Washington for Gaza. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://march4gaza.org/what-we-want/.
5. “Media.” American Center for Justice. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://acjus.org/i.html?l=e%2F2%2FA%2Fc%2F1%2F6.
6. “About Us.” American Center for Justice. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://acjus.org/s.html?l=e/2/A/c/1/U/U/About-Us.
7. “About Us.” American Center for Justice. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://acjus.org/s.html?l=e/2/A/c/1/U/U/About-Us.
8. “Work Team.” American Center for Justice. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://acjus.org/s.html?l=e/2/A/c/1/U/U/About-Us; “ACJ Held A Symposium Focused on its Report “Manufacturing Violence and Hatred.” American Center for Justice. August 10, 2023. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://acjus.org/l?l=e/2/A/c/1/1/1/4049/ACJ-held-a-symposium-focused-on-its-report-“Manufacturing-Violence-and-Hatred.
9. “Latifa Ali Ahmed Jamel.” Women Solidarity Network. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://www.womensolidaritynetwork.org/experts/latifa-ali-ahmed-jamel.
10.  “Latifa Ali Ahmed Jamel.” Women Solidarity Network. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://www.womensolidaritynetwork.org/experts/latifa-ali-ahmed-jamel.
11. “Yemen’s Path Forward.” Middle East Institute. October 4, 2018. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://www.mei.edu/events/yemens-path-forward; “Latifa Ali Ahmed Jamel.” Women Solidarity Network. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://www.womensolidaritynetwork.org/experts/latifa-ali-ahmed-jamel.
12. “Latifa Jamel.” Twitter. February 28, 2024. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://twitter.com/latifajamel3/status/1762865845938634960.
13. “Latifa Jamel.” Twitter. March 23, 2024. Accessed March 25, 2024. https://twitter.com/latifajamel3/status/1771612355799003292; “Abandonbiden.” Twitter. March 17, 2024. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://twitter.com/Abandonbiden24/status/1769461000632140017.
14. “Latifa Jamel.” Twitter. February 28, 2024. Accessed March 24, 2024. https://twitter.com/latifajamel3/status/1762865845938634960.
15. “(ACJ): Suspending UNRWA Funding By 12 Countries Is An Immoral Bias at the Expense of the Suffering of the Palestinians.” American Center for Justice. January 30, 2024. Accessed March 25, 2024. https://acjus.org/l.php?l=e/2/A/c/1/4/4/4107.
16. “(ACJ): Suspending UNRWA Funding By 12 Countries Is An Immoral Bias at the Expense of the Suffering of the Palestinians.” American Center for Justice. January 30, 2024. Accessed March 25, 2024. https://acjus.org/l.php?l=e/2/A/c/1/4/4/4107.
17. “Images.” American Center for Justice. Accessed March 24, 2024. https://acjus.org/i.html?l=e/2/A/c/1/6.
18. “(ACJ): Storming Al-Shifa Hospital By the Israeli Army Is A Full-Fledged Crime in Light of Deafening International Silence.” November 15, 2023. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://acjus.org/l.html?l=e/2/A/c/1/4/4/4067; Smith, Alexander, Caroline Radnofsky, Matteo Moschella. “Israel Says New Videos Show Hamas Hostages and A Tunnel at Al-Shifa Hospital.” NBC News. November 20, 2023. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-video-hamas-hostages-al-shifa-hospital-tunnel-gaza-rcna125948.
19. “Endorsers.” March on Washington for Gaza. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://march4gaza.org/endorsers/.
20. “What We Want.” March on Washington for Gaza. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://march4gaza.org/what-we-want/.
21. “(ACJ): ICJ Ruling on Case Against Israel is a Step Towards Justice.” American Center for Justice. January 26, 2024. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://acjus.org/l.html?l=e/2/A/c/1/1/1/4106.
22. “Freedom of Religion and Minorities in Yemen.” American Center for Justice. December 2022. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://acjus.org/pdf/4013Freedom_Yemen_12.pdf; “The Forgotten Crime.” American Center for Justice. May 30, 2021. Accessed March 24, 2024. https://acjus.org/pdf/4013Report_May.pdf.
23.  ^[1] “Manufacturing Violence and Hatred.” American Center for Justice. June 12, 2023. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://acjus.org/l.html?l=e/2/A/c/1/3/3/4013; “The Forgotten Crime.” American Center for Justice. May 30, 2021. Accessed March 24, 2024. https://acjus.org/pdf/4013Report_May.pdf.
24. “The Blind Killer, A Report on the Mine Disaster in Yemen.” American Center for Justice. April 4, 2022. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://acjus.org/l.html?l=e/2/A/c/1/3/3/4012.
25. “The American Center for Justice (ACJ): Expresses Solidarity With Representative Rashida Tlaib.” American Center for Justice. November 10, 2023. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://acjus.org/l.html?l=e/2/A/c/1/4/4/4066; Amiri, Farnoush. “House Votes to Censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib Over Her Israel-Hamas Rhetoric in a Stunning Rebuke.” AP. November 8, 2023. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://apnews.com/article/congress-house-censure-resolution-tlaib-8085189047a4c40f2d44ada4604aa076.
26. American Center for Justice, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990EZ), 2022.
27. American Center for Justice, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990EZ), 2022.