On August 18, 2026, The Muslim Community Association (MCA) and the Bay Area Muslim Council (BAMC) co-hosted a town hall with Congressman Ro Khanna, drawing more than 250 attendees on a weeknight. Prior to the main event, Congressman Khanna met briefly with MCA and BAMC leadership to discuss key community priorities.
MCA was introduced by Omar Ahmad, MCA President, who warmly welcomed Rep. Khanna and thanked him for his recent positions on the plight of the Palestinians. BAMC was introduced by Faisal Yazadi, Board Director of the Evergreen Islamic Center in San Jose, who emphasized the importance of Muslims serving at the local level and reminded the audience of BAMC’s upcoming Second Annual Banquet on October 3, 2026.
The evening’s question-and-answer session ranged across critical global and domestic issues, beginning with Palestine. Rep. Khanna was direct: he is committed to zeroing out U.S. military aid to Israel and to holding accountable, through the International Criminal Court, those implicated in the genocide in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing of the West Bank.
He spoke of how a recent visit to the West Bank moved him deeply toward this commitment to justice for Palestinians, describing the harassment — including a brief, illegal detention — he personally experienced at the hands of the lawless and racist settlers operating under the watch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
He predicted that 2027 will mark the start of a major shift in the U.S.-Israel relationship — one that moves toward greater support for Palestinian self-determination and a Palestinian state. He also called for consistent enforcement of U.S. law, including the Leahy Law, arguing that no government — whether an “ally” in the Middle East, or China, or India — should receive American weapons while violating human rights with them.
Discussants also raised questions on immigration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement, affordability and cost-of-living relief, money in politics, and Epstein accountability, reflecting the breadth of concerns the community brought to the conversation.
Rep. Khanna praised MCA’s leadership over the years, calling it a model for other communities nationally. He encouraged continuing partnerships like MCA/BAMC’s work on civic education and engagement, saying that they position this community at the heart of the changes ahead.
The evening underscored the strength of our community’s civic engagement — showing up to hold elected officials accountable on the issues that matter most.
Thank you to everyone who attended and to Rep. Khanna for his time and candor.
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