NYC venues refuse Woman of Year Ms Rachel space for Gaza amputee child’s birthday

On Monday, the hugely popular children’s entertainer and educator Rachel Griffin Accurso, known as Ms Rachel to millions of children, was named as one of its Women of the Year by Glamour magazine for her “contributions to children’s entertainment and her activism” on behalf of Palestinian children. Accurso has been targeted by the US Israel lobby for months for her outspoken empathy with the children of Gaza being maimed and slaughtered by the occupation during Israel’s genocide.

But on the same day that her award was announced, Accurso also shared that she had attempted to hire no fewer than three venues in New York City to celebrate the birthday of Rahaf, a 3 year old Palestinian girl she has befriended and supported and who suffered double amputation because of Israel’s bombing.

Ms Rachel refused

But Accurso and Rahaf were refused by all three venues, despite guaranteeing to them that there would be no press, no photos, no videos – and that she was renting the venue for the birthday of a little girl who had been evacuated from Gaza because of her injuries and that Accurso and her family wanted to make it extra special.

The Wear the Peace clothing brand that publicised the refusals described what happened:

The first business owner stated that she would have to think about it because it’s ‘really complicated’, leaving Ms. Rachel heartbroken trying to find another spot. The second spot agreed, but then canceled just two days later due to “the safety of our staff.” She said the venues didn’t want Palestinians from Gaza there, which is illegal. Finally, on the fourth try, a business was ecstatic to have Rahaf, where they ended up having the birthday party.

The racism of many in the West toward Palestinians runs deep, as does the fear of the Israel lobby. All this cowardice is in spite of Israel now being the most hated nation on Earth for its arrogance, its contempt for the lives and rights of the people whose land it stole, and its endless lies to justify its crimes against them.

Featured image via the Canary