Antisemitic Incidents Soar in the US

Reports of antisemitic incidents across the United States have soared in the two months since the deadly Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants on Israel sparked a brutal war in the Gaza Strip, according to new data released Monday by the Anti-Defamation League. The group calls the rise "unprecedented."

Reported incidents of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim hate have also spiked in the U.S. over the same period, according to data from the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Most of the incidents — at least 1,411 — "could be clearly linked to the Israel-Hamas war," according to the group, which describes its mission as working to "stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all," including combatting extremism and other forms of hate both online and offline.

"The ongoing Israel-Hamas war that started on Oct. 7 has led to a relentless pattern of antisemitic attacks, which show no signs of diminishing," stated Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL. He further added, "Jewish communities across the country are being inundated with hate, and it is crucial for public officials and college leaders to take clear action and demonstrate that this behavior is unacceptable in order to prevent further violence."

Last week, the Council on American-Islamic Relations released data revealing that it has received a staggering 2,171 complaints of bias incidents or requests for help between Oct. 7 and Dec. 2. This surge in complaints is occurring amidst an ongoing wave of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate, as stated by the organization.

"Innocent Americans are suffering the consequences of this wave of bigotry, from Burlington to Chicago to DC and elsewhere," said Nihad Awad, the National Executive Director of CAIR. "Unless our nation puts an end to the violence in Gaza and rejects bigotry in America, we fear that both Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism will continue to spiral out of control."

In Burlington, Vermont, three Palestinian-American college students were shot and wounded on Nov. 25 in what authorities are investigating as a possible hate crime. In the Chicago area, a landlord is charged with murder and hate crimes for a stabbing that killed a 6-year-old Muslim boy and wounded his mother.

Protests and tensions tied to the Israel-Hamas war have divided college campuses, leading to a congressional hearing last week where three university presidents were grilled about how they are handling antisemitism at their schools. Claudine Gay of Harvard University, Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania and Sally Kornbluth of MIT testified before lawmakers who pressed them on action to condemn anti-Jewish sentiment. Magill tendered her resignation over the weekend.

The ADL's new data includes 400 incidents on college and university campuses over the last two months, compared with 33 incidents during the same period last year. 

The group recorded 250 antisemitic incidents that specifically targeted Jewish institutions, like campus Hillels and synagogues. 

The ADL data also noted the case of a Jewish man who sustained a head injury and died following an encounter with a pro-Palestinian demonstrator at a protest in Los Angeles last month. The other man is facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter and has pleaded not guilty. 

ADL Reports Increase in Antisemitic Incidents

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has recently reported a rise in incidents of vandalism and harassment targeting Jewish or Israeli businesses. These incidents include a protest in Philadelphia where pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside an Israeli-Jewish owned restaurant, accusing the establishment of "genocide."

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro condemned the demonstration, stating that it was "a blatant act of antisemitism."

The ADL's CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, expressed concern over the increase in antisemitic acts, stating, "Vandalism of a Jewish business isn't political protest — it's antisemitism and it's criminal. Boycotts have historically targeted the Jewish community at times of crisis, and it's alarming that it's happening again now."