MEDIA DIGEST: CAIR-Chicago & Families Condemn NEW Israeli Demolition Orders and Settler Violence in Palestine
On January 14, 2026, CAIR-Chicago hosted Chicago Palestinian families and Jewish allies to expose escalating Israeli demolitions, settler violence, forced segregation, and collective punishment targeting Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.
The press conference centered on firsthand testimony from Chicago families with loved ones in Sinjil, Deir Samit, Al-Mughayyir, and Gaza, where Israeli forces and armed settlers have intensified their violent attacks. Hear also from Chicagoans who are using traditional tatreez embroidery to save a village.
Speakers included:
Jordan Esparza-Kelley — Communications Coordinator, CAIR-Chicago
Nida Sahouri – Chicago-area pharmacist and grandmother, sharing testimony on settler violence, home destruction, and segregation in Sinjil
Videos referenced: Barbed fence surrounding home & destroyed home
Lynn Pollack — Evanston for a Free Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP Chicago) ally, co-creator of www.savethevillages.com
Laya Nassan — speaking on pogrom-style settler attacks and land destruction in Al-Mughayyir, a student raising funds through embroidery
Photos referenced: Laya’s grandfather with destroyed olive trees, “Death to Arabs” graffiti left by Israeli settlers
Videos referenced:
Sara — Evanston for a Free Palestine ally advocating for Palestinian villages under attack, including Deir Samit
William Asfour — Chicago resident with family surviving in Gaza’s freezing tents amid ongoing aid restrictions
IN THE PRESS
SPEAKER HIGHLIGHTS
PHOTO GALLERY
