Zahra Billoo, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) San Francisco Bay Area chapter and a member of California’s Civil Liberties Program panel, has sparked controversy by attributing President Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis to “God’s wrath” over his handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The CAIR leader further expressed hope that Biden’s cancer would be “as aggressive” as Israel’s military actions against Hamas.
President Biden recently disclosed a diagnosis of an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones. Billoo’s remarks align with sentiments from other anti-Israel activists. Former Bernie Sanders surrogate Shaun King labeled Biden a “genocidal monster,” wishing that “his final days are painful,” while ex-Washington Post reporter Taylor Lorenz commented, “Hopefully [Biden] rots in hell and rests in [expletive].”
Billoo’s position on the state-appointed civil rights panel, which advises on civil liberties and rights issues, is under scrutiny. Appointed in 2018 by then-Governor Jerry Brown, she continues to serve on the board, although it has not convened since the previous year due to funding constraints, according to a California Library spokesperson. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, responsible for such appointments, has not responded to requests for comment.
CAIR and its leadership have a history of contentious statements. In December 2023, CAIR’s national director, Nihad Awad, expressed being “happy to see” Hamas’s terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli civilian deaths. Despite such rhetoric, Governor Newsom’s administration has collaborated with CAIR on initiatives to combat “Islamophobia,” awarding state grants to enhance security at mosques and religious institutions. This includes nearly $200,000 in taxpayers money to he Islamic Center of San Diego (ICSD), a mosque that has been previously linked to the 911 terror attacks. Newsom also met with CAIR leaders in early 2024, shortly before advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Billoo proceeded to double down on her abhorrent rhetoric. Billoo added that she hopes President Trump’s “time will come too,” further inflaming the situation and prompting calls for her removal from the civil rights panel.
