Gov. Greg Abbott cheers Hilton's decision to cancel Palestinian conference in Houston

Gov. Greg Abbott is praising a Hilton hotel property in Houston for pulling the plug on hosting a planned conference this month by the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, saying no Texas venue should host the organization in the wake of the Hamas attacks on Israel.

"Hilton Hotels in Houston was correct to pull the plug on the U.S. Campaign for Palestine Rights event hosted by Hamas supporters," Abbott, a three-term Republican, said on social media Tuesday evening. "Texas has no room for hate & antisemitism like that supported by Hamas. No location in Texas should host or sponsor USCPR."

The internationally known chain's property, the Hilton Post Oak by the Galleria, cited "escalating security concerns in the current environment" as the reason for canceling the three-day event that was to start Oct. 27.

"The hotel has determined that it cannot serve as the venue for this event because of the potential risks to our Team Members and guests," Hilton said in a statement. "Our priority is and will remain the safety and security of everyone we welcome at our hotel."

Abbott, along with numerous political figures in Texas and across the country, has offered strong words of support for Israel in the wake of the attacks from Hamas that started Oct. 7. The governor has promised to beef up security at Jewish schools and synagogues across Texas and has ordered flags flown at half-staff to honor Israeli casualties.

But several Texas Republican leaders, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton, have come under intense political criticism for not either returning or donating to charity campaign contributions from the conservative Defend Texas Liberty PAC after recent revelations that its now-ousted leader, former Republican state Rep. Jonathan Stickland of Arlington, had hosted a six-hour-plus meeting with avowed white supremacist and neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes.

The organization quietly replaced Stickland as president on Tuesday and named Luke Macias, a longtime conservative operative and Defend Texas Liberty's director, as his replacement.

The attacks on Israel and the Israeli counteroffensive to end Hamas' control of the Gaza Strip have heightened the controversy surrounding the PAC. The ongoing Republican feud between Patrick and Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, who publicly called on the lieutenant governor to reject the $3 million in contributions and loans from the group, cast even more light on it.

The Campaign for Palestinian Rights did not respond to a phone message left at its headquarters in Washington about the cancellation of its national conference. But it describes itself as "a political home for all who believe that freedom for the Palestinian people is an integral part of achieving our collective liberation."

"We provide resources and strategic support to the U.S.-based Palestine solidarity movement, channeling grassroots power into positive change in U.S. policy and public opinion," the organization's "About Us" statement says. "We work with local organizers and activists, policymakers, movement leaders, media, and advocacy organizations to advance a rights-based, accountability and justice-oriented framework from the U.S. to Palestine."

On its website is a link called "Stop Gaza Genocide Now" that makes no mention of Hamas but urges supporters to spread its call for a ceasefire across social media platforms. It's conference, planned well before the Hamas attacks, was to be titled "Seize the Moment" and its participants were encouraged to embrace the organization's call for ending "U.S. military funding to Israel, once and for all."

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, the first woman of Palestinian descent to serve in Congress, was to deliver the conference's keynote address. Her office in Washington did not answer a phone call seeking comment.

Texas political leaders from both parties have been resolute in expressing support for Israel and in condemning Hamas since the attacks. Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in a floor speech Tuesday, called the attacks "evil in its purest form."

"Hamas it's not trying to protect the Palestinian people or promote freedom," Cornyn said. "Hamas' singular goal is to annihilate the Jewish people and wipe Israel off the map."

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, an Austin Democrat, offered a similar statement, but also warned against unbridled escalation.

"We affirm our support for Israel and especially the many families who are suffering from the criminal actions of Hamas," Doggett said. "While a forceful military response is necessary, we should be encouraging strategies that minimize the loss of civilian life and maintain peace in the West Bank.

Gadeir Abbas, an attorney with the U.S. Council on American-Islamic Relations, said U.S. policy has long favored Israel and that Texas has adopted similar stances at the state level, including making it illegal for companies to boycott Israel. Instead of shutting down conferences like the one planned in Houston, leaders should be promoting understanding, he said.

"U.S. leadership has failed Palestinians. It's failed Israelis as well, for decades," Abbas said. "The only hope that we all have for a peaceful world is if people get together and exchange views. That's the whole concept of the First Amendment. The whole idea is that we should all have a little bit of humility in our understanding of complex international affairs."

John C. Moritz covers Texas government and politics for the USA Today Network in Austin. Contact him at jmoritz@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly called Twitter, @JohnnieMo.