The Biden administration announced on Wednesday the development of the “first-ever National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia” in the United States amid a surge in anti-Semitism, which has faced a negative public backlash, according to New York Post.
The White House emphasised the fight against Islamophobia a day after the arrest in New York of a 21-year-old “Hamas militant” who allegedly threatened to kill and rape Jews at Cornell University. Also that day, FBI Director Christopher Wray issued a statement to senators saying anti-Semitism in the US had reached “historic levels” after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October. Vice President Kamala Harris said in a video posted on X:
“For years, Muslims in America and those perceived to be Muslim have endured a disproportionate number of hate fueled attacks. As a result of the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, we have seen an uptick in anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents across America.”
According to Harris, the aim of the plan, which is still in the works, will be to “protect Muslims and those who consider themselves Muslims from hatred, bigotry and violence. And also to address concerns that some government measures may discriminate against Muslims.”
The White House initiative was also influenced by the results of a poll commissioned by the Arab American Institute, support for President Biden among Arab-Americans fell to just 17% after supporting Israel’s war on Hamas. By comparison, 40% of Arab-American respondents said they would cast their vote for former President Donald Trump, New York Post reports.
Canadian professor Gad Saad, who was referring to the statistics Wray presented to senators on Tuesday, was one of many who expressed displeasure on social media with the Biden administration’s statement on combating Islamophobia. Saad, who was born into a Jewish family in Lebanon, wrote on X:
“According to the [FBI] director, Jews make up 2.4% of the US population but are the targets of 60% of hate crimes. This is why it is apparently important to fight Islamophobia according to the White House.”
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who has called for the deportation of foreigners expressing support for Hamas, was also shocked by the announcement. The Arkansas Republican posted on X:
“After the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and a breakout of pro-Hamas activism on campus, the White House is claiming *Islamophobia* is our top concern.”
Blake Beye, a member of the Hilsboro, Kan., City Council, called the unveiling “tone deaf” in the wake of rising antisemitism. Beye said in response to the vice president’s video message:
“This is one of the most tone deaf posts I’ve ever seen on this platform. The amount of hatred I’ve seen towards the Jewish community and the nation of Israel over the last month makes me sick to my stomach and breaks my heart. Read the room, sweetheart.”
According to conservative writer Mark Hemingway, the rollout of the strategy indicates that Democrats may be wary of losing to Republicans in 2024 in the “swing” state of Michigan, which has the nation’s second-largest Arab-American population. He said on X:
“Aside from the fact this is a slap in the face to American Jews who are the actual victims of hate crimes, the good news for Republicans is that Michigan must be in play.”
Conservative radio host Tammy Bruce, like thousands of other social media users, criticised the timeliness of the President administration’s announcement. She tweeted:
“Timing is everything and is itself a statement. This as Jews are being threatened, hunted, and attacked worldwide. Tells you everything you need to know about the moral depravity and corruption of the Democratic Party and especially of the people in the White House. Shame on them.”
On Monday, the Biden administration unveiled a series of measures aimed at combating the rise of anti-Semitism at colleges and universities following a series of anti-Israel demonstrations that took place in many states in October.
Under the plan, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, in conjunction with campus and local police, would monitor online hate speech and provide federal resources to schools, while the Department of Education would hold webinars on how to file reports.
In May, the White House released a 60-page strategy for countering anti-Semitism in the United States. However, it was criticised by some Jewish and anti-hate groups who argued that the Biden administration chose a vague definition of the term “anti-Semitism” that does not say that anti-Semites are those who oppose the creation of Israel or hold the Jewish state to different standards than other countries.
