The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) stated on Monday that complaints of discrimination and hatred against Muslims and Palestinians in the United States have risen by approximately 180% in the three months following October 7, after the attack by Hamas on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip governed by Hamas.
Why is this important? Advocates for rights have noticed an increase in Islamophobia and bias against Palestinians in the United States and elsewhere since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East. Among the incidents that occurred in the United States that have raised concern are the shooting in November in Vermont targeting three Palestinian American students, and the stabbing of a six-year-old Palestinian American boy in Illinois.
By the numbers, CAIR reported on Monday that it received 3,578 complaints during the last three months of 2023 amidst what it described as a "continuing wave of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hatred." This figure represents a 178% increase compared to the number of complaints during the same period last year. The Council noted that complaints of workplace discrimination topped the list with 662 cases, while there were 472 complaints of hate crimes and incidents, and 448 complaints of discrimination in education.
Earlier this month, the Anti-Defamation League reported that the three months following October 7 witnessed a 360% rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the United States compared to the previous year.
U.S. Security Directives
The U.S. government recently issued security directives concerning communities based on religious beliefs amid rising anti-Semitism and Islamophobia since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which Israel stated resulted in 1,200 deaths, and the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, which the health ministry in the region claims has led to the deaths of over 26,000, constituting more than one percent of Gaza's population of 2.3 million. The U.S. Department of Justice is monitoring the increasing threats against Jews and Muslims in light of the ongoing crisis. President Joe Biden has condemned anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
