Gaza War Response Dampens Muslim Support for White House Plan to Fight Islamophobia: Report
The strategy, announced on Nov. 1, is led by the Domestic Policy and National Security Councils and follows the federal government's first-ever National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism in May.
However, some advocates who have worked with the Biden administration in the past are skeptical about the effectiveness of the strategy and the sincerity of the White House's engagement with the community.
Salam Al-Marayati, the president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, which is also a member of the American Muslim Community Coalition, told CBS News that he is "very hard to even imagine how a national strategy to counter Islamophobia will work" at a time when American Muslims feel "unsafe and unsupported" as they witness the "horrific attacks on Palestinians in Gaza."
He said that many Muslim families, students, and employees are afraid to speak out for fear of retribution, as some who have spoken out have faced "loss of employment, suspension, censorship, trolling, bullying, and targeted violence."
Another source close to the discussions surrounding the development of the strategy said that the timing of the announcement, which came after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on occupied territories and the increasing number of civilian casualties in Gaza, is "really challenging" and could affect the outcome of the strategy.
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The source said that many advocates are "very hurt, angry, shocked [and] frustrated" at America's involvement in the conflict and President Biden's reluctance to call for a cease-fire.
The US has vetoed two UN Security Council resolution that called for a ceasefire in Gaza where the Israeli attacks since October 7 has killed more than 21,000 people, mostly women and children. Washington has also provided aids to the Israeli regime in its war on Gaza.
Meanwhile, a senior administration official, who spoke to CBS News on background, said that the White House is "listening" to the community and remains committed to the development of the strategy. The official said that the announcement was planned well before the Hamas operation and that the White House has been engaging with dozens of Muslim and Arab American groups for months.
The official also cited a letter from the American Muslim Community Coalition that applauded the announcement and expressed its commitment to participate in the process.
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Arsalan Suleman, who is board chair and co-founder of America Indivisible, a nonprofit dedicated to combating Islamophobia, said that he and many other community members want to engage with the White House on the Islamophobia strategy, despite their "very strong criticisms" of the current policy on Gaza.
He said that engaging on one issue does not mean endorsing or accepting the White House's policies on that issue or any other issue.
Source: Agencies
