White House announces targeted national strategy against Islamophobia
Washington, DC - The Biden administration on Wednesday announced a national plan to target Islamophobia in the US as the war in Gaza rages on.
Going forward, the White House will be working with representatives of Muslim associations, advocacy groups, members of Congress, and others to develop a national strategy to "counter the scourge of Islamophobia and hate in all its forms," White House Press Secretary 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," Jean-Pierre said in her statement on behalf of the government.
"We all mourn the recent barbaric killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a 6-year-old Palestinian American Muslim boy, and the brutal attack on his mother in their home outside Chicago," she said.
In a post to X, Jean-Pierre added, "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."
The White House speaks out against discrimination of any kind amid Israel-Gaza war
The move is part of the efforts of President Joe Biden's administration to strengthen and better coordinate the fight against Islamophobia, antisemitism, and related forms of discrimination.
"There is no place for hate in America against anyone," the White House said.
The administration's move comes amid the conflict in Gaza and growing tenseness in the Middle East. The catastrophic situation for the residents of the Gaza Strip and the reportedly high number of civilian casualties in the densely populated coastal area have triggered international criticism of Israel's actions.
Increasingly, governments of other countries that have expressed unwavering solidarity with Israel have come under scrutiny. Most notably, Biden's government is facing accusations from the Muslim world of standing too one-sidedly with Israel and ignoring the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza.
Cover photo: Unsplash/Suzy Brooks