The Northern California Islamic Council is a left-of-center nonprofit organization that consists of a coalition of nonprofit Muslim groups based in Northern California. ¹ It handles contributions for Taxpayers for Peace, an anti-Israel campaign that employs advertising with messaging that the left-of-center Jewish advocacy group Anti-Defamation League argues is antisemitic. ²

Background

The Northern California Islamic Council is a membership-based organization in northern California consisting of Masjids (mosques), Islamic Centers, and other nonprofit organizations that subscribe to Islam. ³

The Northern California Islamic Council operates anti-Israel campaigns that promotes messaging accusing Israel of committing war crimes and genocide in the Palestinian territories. ⁴ It also opposes the United States providing military aid to Israel and supports providing humanitarian aid for residents of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. ⁵

Advocacy

Israel-Palestinian Conflict

The Northern California Islamic Council advocates for support for the disputed Palestinian territories by promoting the idea that pro-Israel leaders “manipulate” Americans to support Israel and promotes the idea that there has been a cover-up of war crimes by Israel, including the torture of children. It encourages Muslims to engage in political advocacy in opposition of Israel regarding its conflict with the Palestinian territories. ⁶

The Northern California Islamic Council encourages individuals to participate in a Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) campaign through which it provides individuals with a portal and pre-written messages to contact Congress to oppose military aid to Israel, to support giving refugee status to immigrants from Palestinian territories, and in support of the Ceasefire Now Resolution co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Cori Bush (D-MO), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Andre Carson (D-IN), Summer Lee (D-PA), and Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL). ⁷ The campaign accuses Israel of committing war crimes within the Palestinian territories and opposes military aid to Israel as it claims such aid is “only used” for war crimes. It also accuses Israel of perpetuating the Israel-Hamas conflict, committing “apartheid” within the Palestinian territories, and it opposes Israel’s so-called occupation of the territories. ⁸

Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, the Northern California Islamic Council began fundraising for Taxpayers for Peace to fund a campaign in which trucks drive around major cities with digital billboards that spread anti-Zionist messages that the left-of-center Jewish group Anti-Defamation League has characterized as antisemitic. The campaign is also organized by Voice for Humanity Project and Nevadans for Palestinian Liberation. The billboard messages have included “Israel has more control over America than Americans do,” “Israel is committing a Holocaust in Gaza,” “Zionism = Fascism,” and “Israel is the New Nazi Germany.”  ⁹

The Northern California Islamic Council’s Rise Up for Palestine PR Campaign solicits donations to fund billboards in California that publish anti-Israel messaging. The billboard messages include “If we can’t stop Israel’s Genocide we can stop funding it,” “Why is the pro-Israel lobby spending $100 million to influence U.S. elections,” “Stopping starvation of a million kids is not anti-Semitic,” and “I will no longer be complicit in genocide… Free Palestine.” ¹⁰

On March 2, 2024, the Northern California Islamic Council cosponsored a San Francisco based demonstration that supported an ANSWER Coalition nationwide protest supporting a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. The protest promoted the idea that Israel is committing genocide through the conflict and that the United States is responsible for stopping Israel’s military operations against Hamas. ¹¹

Race Issues

In response to the 2020 death of George Floyd, The Northern California Islamic Council published a press release expressing condolences for recently murdered Black individuals and claiming that so-called institutional racism and white supremacy are the source of the issues and violence facing Black Americans. It blames racism for so-called “unfair incarceration,” police violence, and economic issues faced by Black individuals as well as for environmental issues. ¹²

Leadership

Hatem Bazian is the board chair of the Northern California Islamic Council and professor of Islamic law and theology at Zaytuna College. ¹³ Bazian is also the board chair of American Muslims for Palestine, which defended the October 7, 2023 massacre by stating “First of all, this was not an attack, it was a response. Expecting a besieged, occupied, brutalized, and colonized people to remain docile in the face of nearly a century of brutal oppression and colonial subjugation is inhumane and unjust.” ^{14 15}

1. “Become a Member.” NCIC, April 20, 2020. https://www.norcalcouncil.org/members/become-a-member/.
2. Center on Extremism. “Blood Libel on Wheels: Anti-Israel Activists Using Digital Billboard Trucks to Share Antisemitic Messages.” Anti-Defamation League, February 14, 2024. https://www.adl.org/resources/blog/blood-libel-wheels-anti-israel-activists-using-digital-billboard-trucks-share.
3. “Become a Member.” NCIC, April 20, 2020. https://www.norcalcouncil.org/members/become-a-member/.
4. “Rise up for Palestine – Pr Campaign.” NCIC, July 4, 2024. https://www.norcalcouncil.org/emergency-palestine-billboard/.
5. Shaikh, Junaid. “Support Palestine.” NCIC, October 28, 2023. https://www.norcalcouncil.org/announcements/support-palestine/.
6. Shaikh, Junaid. “Support Palestine.” NCIC, October 28, 2023. https://www.norcalcouncil.org/announcements/support-palestine/.
7. Shaikh, Junaid. “Support Palestine.” NCIC, October 28, 2023. https://www.norcalcouncil.org/announcements/support-palestine/.
8. “Urge Congress to Support Ceasefire on Gaza Now.” EveryAction. Accessed September 8, 2024. https://action.cair.com/a/gazaunderattack.
9. Center on Extremism. “Blood Libel on Wheels: Anti-Israel Activists Using Digital Billboard Trucks to Share Antisemitic Messages.” Anti-Defamation League, February 14, 2024. https://www.adl.org/resources/blog/blood-libel-wheels-anti-israel-activists-using-digital-billboard-trucks-share.
10. “Rise up for Palestine – Pr Campaign.” NCIC, July 4, 2024. https://www.norcalcouncil.org/emergency-palestine-billboard/.
11. March 2 Global Day of Action: Hands Off Rafah! – Answer Coalition. Accessed September 8, 2024. https://www.answercoalition.org/rafah_protest.
12. “Northern California Islamic Council’s Statement of Solidarity with Our Black Brothers and Sisters.” NCIC, May 30, 2020. https://www.norcalcouncil.org/announcements/george-floyd-statement-of-solidarity-with-our-black-brothers-and-sisters/.
13.  “Hatem Bazian.” Islamic Society of North America, May 29, 2018. https://isna.net/hatem-bazian/.
14. “Our Team.” AMP. Accessed September 8, 2024. https://www.ampalestine.org/about-amp/our-team.
15. “Reality vs. Propaganda: Changing the Discourse on Gaza.” AMP. Accessed September 8, 2024. https://www.ampalestine.org/media/media-room/statements/reality-vs-propaganda-changing-discourse-gaza.