According to a Fox News report, the general secretary of a controversial social justice organization made multiple visits to the Biden-Harris White House earlier this year.
Joyce Ajlouny, who leads the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), reportedly attended three meetings with administration officials in March 2024.
The AFSC, a self-described Quaker organization, has been in the spotlight for its controversial stances on various issues, including calls to defund the police and its criticism of Israel following the October 2023 Hamas attack. The group's White House visits have drawn attention due to its radical positions and the content it has published.
According to official logs, Joyce Ajlouny visited the White House twice in March 2024, participating in a total of three meetings with Biden administration officials. These meetings involved discussions with staff from the National Security Council, the Domestic Policy Council, and the Office of Public Engagement.
Ajlouny, in a statement released after the meetings, explained that she and a delegation of religious leaders had met with administration officials to demand an end to what they termed "genocide in Gaza." She emphasized their call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and full access to humanitarian aid in the region.
The American Friends Service Committee has been known for advocating a range of far-left causes, which have garnered attention and criticism. One of the most notable examples is an essay published by the organization in September 2019 titled "Decriminalizing Hamas," authored by Jonathan Kuttab, described as a Palestinian human rights lawyer.
In this essay, Kuttab called for an end to the "demonization of Hamas" and advocated for bringing the organization into the political process. This stance has been particularly controversial given Hamas's designation as a terrorist organization by many countries, including the United States. The AFSC has also been a vocal critic of Israel, particularly in the aftermath of the Hamas attack in October 2023. The organization has attributed the "root cause" of the attack to Israel, a position that has drawn significant criticism from various quarters.
During the height of the George Floyd protests in 2020, the AFSC was among the organizations calling for the defunding of police departments. The group advocated for redirecting funds from law enforcement to areas such as education, healthcare, and what they term "transformative justice approaches." In a post titled "A Quaker call to defund the police," the AFSC aligned itself with the Black Lives Matter movement, stating:
Defunding the police is a demand from the Black Lives Matter movement. At this point we need to follow and support the calls and demands from the Black people and grassroots organizations offering profound leadership. It is not for us to mute or critique the demands that Black folks are making right now.
The report highlights that AFSC has received financial support from various left-wing foundations. Among these is the Marguerite Casey Foundation, which has been noted for its support of initiatives to abolish police and ICE. Other donors include the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the latter of which has been linked to multiple anti-Israel groups.
These funding sources have raised questions about the influences shaping AFSC's agenda and the broader network of organizations advocating for similar policy positions. The connections between these funding bodies and AFSC's access to White House officials have become a point of interest for those scrutinizing the administration's engagement with advocacy groups.
In response to inquiries about their controversial positions, AFSC's media relations director, Layne Mullett, provided a statement emphasizing the organization's Quaker roots and historical mission. Mullett stated:
AFSC is a Quaker organization that values the life and dignity of every single person. For more than a century we have worked to end wars and alleviate suffering in the U.S. and around the world. In 1947, the Nobel Peace Prize was jointly awarded to AFSC and the British Friends Service Council, in recognition of the work of Quakers worldwide to heal rifts, tend to the wounded, and oppose war.
Mullett also highlighted AFSC's long-standing involvement in Israel and Palestine, noting that their work in Gaza began in 1948. The organization maintains that it continues to engage in humanitarian work in the region and advocates for ending the occupation of Palestinian territories and building lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
The revelations about Joyce Ajlouny's White House visits have brought attention to the American Friends Service Committee's activities and positions. The organization's advocacy for controversial policies, including calls to defund the police and criticisms of Israel, has raised questions about its influence on policy discussions. AFSC's historical background as a Quaker organization and its receipt of funding from various left-wing foundations add complexity to the situation. The White House and the Harris campaign have not yet responded to requests for comment on these meetings and their implications.
