In the Friday, Oct. 13 Ethnic Media Services briefing, experts discussed the conflict’s roots, what it means for Jewish and Muslim U.S. communities confronting increased hate, and how inter-ethnic U.S. violence is deepening in response to the international violence.
According to statistics, more Israelis died in Hamas’s initial attacks than on any other day in history. It is said that more than 150 Israelis have been taken hostage by Hamas. More than half of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip currently lacks water, electricity and shelter, while a full-scale Israeli ground attack is imminent.
Experts say anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are almost mainstream. Currently, hostility between various forces in the United States is increasing, especially on university campuses and online.
Brian Levin, founder of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism and criminal justice Professor Emeritus at CSU San Bernardino, said the U.S. has seen an increase in hate crimes over recent years, hitting a record reported number of 10,840 in 2021 with a population representation of 91.1% per the FBI. He added hate crimes are not only spiking, but are more elongated in their spikes, and there is massive underreporting. While the current war is indeed a political dispute. Thus, he continued, we can expect this religious violence to be reflected in U.S. attacks.
Estee Chandler, Jewish Voice for Peace, Los Angeles chapter said “Gaza has been under nearly 16 years of Israeli military blockade and the war on Palestinians started over 75 years ago with occupation and systemic apartheid and though much of the media is reporting that Israel has now left Gaza, that’s not true. They just moved their defenses to the perimeter.” There is so much misinformation on social media platforms. Online lies are skyrocketing, leading to intense emotions across multiple time zones, with huge global and social implications.
Vidya Sethuraman
India Post News Service
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