President Joe Biden has called for decisive action against a brutal wave of antisemitism in the US. His speech emphasized how hate can not thrive in America, connecting the atrocities of the Holocaust to Hamas’ attack on Israel.
We could say Biden’s speech was sad, but trust it to be impassioned. As you may know, the October 7 attack and the ensuing war in Gaza are inarguably one of the most politically charged moments of Biden’s tenure. Moreover, this is particularly personal as Biden has been supporting Israel, plus he sees antisemitism as a fundamental affront to American values.
President Biden’s Relentless Support for Israel
Notably, President Biden has been a longtime supporter of Israel. However, his staunch backing of Israel’s war against Hamas has resulted in the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians. What does this mean for him?
Well, as it stands, his support has created significant fractures in the cooperation that brought him to the White House four years ago. Additionally, this stance has sparked protests on college campuses, highlighting probable political crises with the younger voters as he seeks a second term.
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Biden recently attended the US Holocaust Memorial Museum for an annual Days of Remembrance ceremony. At the event, he connected the horrors committed against Jews by the Nazis and the events in Israel last year, and the rise in antisemitism after Hamas’ attack.
President Joe Biden’s Speech at the Holocaust Memorial Museum
According to Biden, antisemitism didn’t start with the Holocaust or even post-World War II. The president emphasized that the hatred continues to grow in the hearts of many globally, requiring constant attention.
Yes, we know the hatred is age-old, but how are people forgetting just seven and a half months later? No one seems to remember that Hamas started this terror. As Biden puts it, “I have not forgotten, nor have you, and we will not forget.”
In the same event, Biden highlighted a brutal antisemitism surge in the US following October 7, from social media propaganda to attacks on Jewish students on campuses. Raising his voice, Biden noted that many people denied, downplayed, and ignored the horrors of the Holocaust.
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This even included the Hamas’ appalling use of sexual violence to torture and terrorize. Notably, in the days after Hamas’ attacks in Israel, Biden forcefully condemned the rising antisemitism and Islamophobia.
During an October 19, 2023, Oval Office address, he noted that Americans can’t remain silent. Yet, in the seven months since the war began, incidents of Islamophobia and antisemitism have surged. The latest data from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a 140% growth in incidents from 2022 to 2023, with a surprising rise after October 7.
Additionally, an ADL report on antisemitic attitudes in America in 2024 revealed that younger Americans will likely support anti-Jewish tropes.
Biden’s Message to American Jews and the Political Challenges of Gaza
Biden delivered a direct message to American Jews, saying he knows they are scared and hurt. However, he reassured them that he was still the president and they were not alone. Moreover, he emphasized that they will always have their place in the US.
He shared a relatable story of Tom Lantos, who escaped a Nazi labor camp during the Holocaust—all thanks to Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who used his position to rescue about 100,000 Jews.
Notably, Lantos became Biden’s top adviser, then a first-term senator, and later was the sole Holocaust survivor elected to Congress. Although Biden has been vocal in his condemnations of antisemitism, the war in Gaza has sparked many debates.
He has tried to empathize with Palestinians while still on Israel’s side. Also, he has faced protests at almost every public event outside the White House in recent months. However, his way of handling the situations is not helping, plus they are being criticized.
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