KGIA principal Almontaser linked directly to “Intifada NYC” t-shirts

Yes, those t-shirts for young girls say “Intifada NYC.” These were sold at the Arab Fair in Prospect Park on July 8 .

[Correction: The t-shirts were photographed by Pamela Hall at the second Arab Fair in Bay Ridge on July 15. That they were on display and appeared to be for sale is obvious from the photographs.]

Is this the kind of “middle eastern cultural enrichment” that Dhabah Almontaser, principal for Khalil Gibran International Academy, will bring to her students and teachers? Since Chancellor Klein’s office has approved her curricula, we assume he and Mr. Harries endorse these t-shirts. Mayor Bloomberg can purchase some for his next campaign.

The t-shirts read: “Intifada NYC – awaam.org.” Let’s consider what those words mean.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, an intifada is:

Arabic for uprising. Starting in 1987, Palestinians have engaged in an intermittent intifada against Israel on the West Bank and Gaza Strip in their pursuit of a Palestinian state.

So “Intifada NYC” means…what? An uprising in New York City – against whom? or an uprising against Israel, but in New York City? Your guess as good as ours. Here’s what we know – this slogan and logo are this summer’s big publicity campaign for that website that is also listed on the t-shirt: awaam.org .

That awaam.org website can be found here – http://www.awaam.org – for the Arab Women Active in the Arts and Media.

The AWAAM is sponsored by (and apparently housed by) the Yemeni American Association: the AWAAM contact information:

Contact Us

AWAAM: Arab women Active in the Arts and Media

C/o Yemeni American Association
464 3rd Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215

info@awaam.org
Tel: (917) 703-0488

Who is the founder and a board member of the Yemeni American Association? Dhabah Almontaser, principal for KGIA.

Their office is indeed at 464 Third Avenue & 9th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215, where the AWAAM is receiving postal mail.

So here are the dots, connected. On Dhabah Almontaser’s watch, the Yemeni American Association’s Awaam organization created and is still selling t-shirts for young girls that say “Intifada NYC,” in the city that suffered the 9-11 attacks from Islamist terrorists. It makes sense, because she opposes the war on terror – these t-shirts make that all too plain, as did her interview with Amnesty International in January 2002:

“But I have experienced that when you talk to people and explain what is going on, then they are as strongly against the ‘war against terror’ as I. That gives me hope for the future. “

And we may assume that these t-shirts also give Almontaser hope that the war on terror will be blocked, so she can see a future of “Intifada NYC.”

This is the woman Mayor Bloomberg, Chancellor Klein and Garth Harries consider a model principal, for others to emulate. These are the views they espouse as multicultural enrichment of the curricula.

“Intifada NYC” – not just a slogan, an educational initiative from the Department of Education.

If she approved these t-shirts, she is not just an Islamist in her views, she is advocating an Intifada in New York City. Your choice what that actually means. She should be fired, and Chancellor Klein should shut down the KGIA project.

If these t-shirts were designed, approved, manufactured, received, stored, brought to the Arab Fair and sold by an organization associated with the Yemeni American Association, and she knew nothing of the matter (or did not disavow it if she did), then she is negligent in the extreme and should be fired, and Chancellor Klein should shut down the KGIA project.

No third choice exists .