WASHINGTON: Following Hamas’ attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent war on Hamas-governed Gaza, complaints of anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim hate and discrimination in the US increased by around 180 percent in the three months after October 7, according to an advocacy group.
Why is it Important
Since the war in the Middle East broke out, human rights activists have observed an increase in Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian bias both domestically and abroad. Two US incidences that sparked worry were the deadly stabbing of a six-year-old Palestinian American boy in Illinois in October and the shooting in Vermont in November that claimed the lives of three students of Palestinian decent.
By the Numbers
On Monday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) revealed that it had received 3,578 complaints during the last quarter of 2023, citing an ongoing surge in anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian sentiments. This marked a significant 178 percent increase compared to the same period the previous year.
Among the reported grievances, employment discrimination topped the list with 662 instances, followed by 472 reports of hate crimes and hate incidents, and 448 cases of education discrimination, as highlighted by the organization.
Earlier this month, the Anti-Defamation League reported a staggering 360 percent rise in U.S. anti-Semitic incidents in the three months following October 7, when compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
US security alerts
In response to heightened anti-Semitism and Islamophobia following the October 7 attack on Israel by the Hamas, which resulted in 1,200 casualties, and Israeli military actions in Gaza, where over 26,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, the U.S. government has issued security guidance for faith-based communities.
The U.S. Justice Department is actively monitoring escalating threats against both Jewish and Muslim communities during this conflict. President Joe Biden has unequivocally condemned anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
