Biden promises to combat Islamophobia as Israel-Hamas war rages

The administration of US President Joe Biden said Wednesday it would develop a strategy to combat Islamophobia - an announcement that comes as tensions simmer nationwide over the war between Israel and Hamas militants. “President Biden ran for office to restore the soul of our nation. He is unequivocal: there is no place for hate in America against anyone. Period,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. “For too long, Muslims in America, and those perceived to be Muslim, such as Arabs and Sikhs, have endured a disproportionate number of hate-fueled attacks and other discriminatory incidents.” The strategy will be developed in concert with the communities concerned, the White House said. Jean-Pierre singled out what she called the recent “barbaric” killing of a six-year-old Palestinian American boy outside Chicago, which police have linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The US government has already launched a plan to counter anti-Semitism across the country. The promise to do something similar to protect the Muslim community is not new, but Wednesday’s announcement appeared to indicate new momentum, at a particularly charged moment. The war launched after the bloody Hamas attack on Israel has left Muslim Americans fearful of a wave of hostility similar to that seen after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. The response to the war by Biden, who went to Israel in a show of support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has prompted criticism from Muslim and Arab Americans. The 80-year-old Democrat has been accused of turning a blind eye to the suffering of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, but the US leader has defended his actions, pointing to his efforts to get humanitarian aid into the besieged territory. A survey conducted by the Arab American Institute showed that Arab American voters have massively turned away from Biden: support for the incumbent, who faces reelection next year, dropped from 59 percent in 2020 to 17 percent now.