The war between Israel and Hamas is causing problems all over the world. Palestinian and Jewish Americans are feeling more afraid because they are facing more threats and harassment.
Hundreds of people came together for a peaceful event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on 13 October. However, things took a turn for the worse when a man with a gun started shouting offensive words about different races.
People ran in different directions, trying to save themselves, according to Omar Mussa. He was one of the people responsible for arranging the event supporting Palestine at the state Capitol’s stairs.
The 30-year-old Palestinian American said to the BBC that he came to the rally to make us feel afraid and scared. Don’t be afraid to meet with your friends and talk about your thoughts and beliefs.
The man accused of aiming a gun at a group of people and expressing hate towards Islam has been faced with charges of intimidating different ethnicities and making threats of terrorism.
The Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee said they have received lots of reports about hate incidents against Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim Americans. The Anti-Defamation League stated that there has been a significant rise in acts of hatred towards Jewish people, with 107 incidents reported since the conflict started on 7 October.
President Joe Biden expressed strong disapproval of the incidents and emphasized the importance of taking a stand against hate during a recent address in the Oval Office.
However, experts and leaders from both Jewish and Palestinian-American communities are concerned that this pattern will continue as the conflict in the Middle East carries on.
“We are preparing for a difficult and challenging situation – not just because of how intense the conflict is but also because it will last for a long time,” said Brian Levin, the person who started the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.
Bomb threats and stabbings
Many important and noticeable events have caused worry across the country.
A six-year-old boy from Palestine who lived in the United States was attacked and killed with a knife last week in a place called Plainfield, Illinois. His mother was also hurt badly. It is said that their landlord singled out the couple because of their religion and the ongoing fighting between Hamas and Israel.
A man in Lombard, Illinois, around 30 miles away, was charged with hate crimes last week. He apparently threatened to shoot two Muslim men.
In New York City, the police report that a man hit a woman in the face in the subway just because she was Jewish. In Utah, some Jewish groups have said they got scary messages.
Sam Spector, a religious leader in Salt Lake City, had been leading a gathering for about an hour on October 8th when he had to abruptly stop due to a threat of a bomb.
MrSpector explained the frightening message that said, “We placed explosives in all Jewish facilities in Utah. ” “It says they will explode soon – you all deserve to die,” the message stated.
Many people had to leave the building, including 20 children in a nearby room.
This was not the first time the congregation at Mr. Spector’s workplace has received a bomb threat. But since the war started this month, he said he has gotten more mean and hateful messages about Jewish people than he has ever gotten before.
He said that people unfairly blame the Jewish and Muslim communities in America for their own strong opinions, even though these communities are just regular people trying to live their lives.
“Enjoy life to the fullest and be cautious. ”
Some Americans are being careful about what they do each day because they are worried about their safety.
Last week, a man from Texas sent Mohammad Abd-Elsalam a message threatening to kill all Palestinians, saying they all deserve to die.
The leader of the Palestinian American Organizations Network, Mr. Abd-Elsalam, said he has started staying away from crowded areas and has told his family to do the same.
“Mr Abd-Elsalam said it’s a lot to handle. ” “You may not know how to handle the war in Gaza, but you also need to worry about your safety here and the safety of our community in the United States. ”
Rabbi Spector has increased security at his synagogue recently. They are also planning to spend almost $500,000 to make the temple safer in the coming years.
However, Jewish individuals all over the country are wondering if it’s secure to go to their religious gatherings, according to Niv Elis from the Jewish Federations of North America.
“Right now, he told the BBC that our recommendation is for you to embrace your Jewish lifestyle wholeheartedly and to be cautious. ”
Mr Mussa said that because of increased tensions in the Middle East, there are threats against Palestinians and other Muslim groups. Some people see the entire Muslim community as one group, which is incorrect.
He said that people who wear religious coverings like a hijab are usually the ones who can be easily harmed or taken advantage of.
“He said that people who resemble a minority or who appear to be from another country are singled out. ” “More people are very afraid to walk outside now. ”
Tension that has existed for a long time.
Both Muslims and Jews in the US have experienced discrimination and threats for a long time. But some experts have stated that hate crimes often increase when there are conflicts and tensions occurring in the Middle East.
Jessica Winegar, a teacher who studies people and cultures in the Middle East at Northwestern University, said that the ongoing fighting in Gaza is particularly difficult and tense.
She said that we have never witnessed so much killing in such a brief period. “This conflict has become even more intense. ”
Experts say that the divided nature of American politics made the situation even worse.
The argument about the complicated and ongoing conflict in the Middle East is causing disagreement between the left and right sides of politics in the US. Those who have extreme beliefs are more likely to angrily blame someone else for it.
Ms Winegar said that government officials and local leaders must speak out against hate and show support for innocent people on both sides of the conflict.
Mr Mussa, a Palestinian-American who attended a rally at Pennsylvania’s state Capitol, said that he protested and also expressed his disagreement with Israel’s policies. However, he thinks that the political establishment pays little attention to the suffering of Palestinian civilians, and this has consequences in the US as well.
“This is making people in this country feel empowered to treat us poorly, not see us as equals or Americans,” Mr. Mussa said in an interview with the BBC.
President Biden promised to strongly support Israel after the Hamas attack. He also asked Congress to give an extra $14 billion in aid to Israel. However, he expressed sympathy for the Palestinians who lost their lives in Gaza.
We feel sad for every innocent person who died. “He said that we must not overlook the fact that innocent Palestinians, who simply desire a peaceful life and opportunities, also have basic human needs. ”
And he also understood that the anger in Israel and Gaza can lead to hate crimes in the US, affecting both Jews and Muslims.
And to all of you who are suffering. I wanted to let you know I recognize your pain. You are included. And I want to tell you this: You are all America.