Leading US Jewish organizations have asked the White House to act against antisemitism following a series of anti-Jewish incidents concerning fighting between Israel and the Gaza Strip in recent weeks.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
In the letter, the signatories wrote: "We fear that the way the conflict has been used to amplify antisemitic rhetoric, embolden dangerous actors, and attack Jews and Jewish communities will have ramifications far beyond these past two weeks."
They urged Biden "to speak out forcefully against this dangerous trend and stand alongside the Jewish community in the face of this wave of hate before it gets any worse."
Among the signatories to the letter were the Jewish Federation of North America, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the Orthodox Union, and the Hadassah Women's Zionist Organization of America.
The letter follows the release of ADL data showing a spike in antisemitic incidents on several social media platforms, including 17,000 tweets saying Nazi leader Adolf "Hitler was right."
The ADL recorded dozens of anti-Israel rallies across the US since the outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas, with many more in the works. The organization noted signs accusing Jews of killing Jesus and carrying out a Holocaust against the Palestinians were seen at the protests. It said 193 incidents of antisemitism were reported in the first week of the violence compared to 131 such incidents that were reported the previous week.
In a statement, ADL head Jonathan Greenblatt said the "ADL remains steadfast in its commitment to fight antisemitism and hate with every ounce of energy we have. We are working actively with authorities in cities across the country to identify the perpetrators of hate and to protect our community. We call on leaders throughout our country to speak out against antisemitism and stand alongside the Jewish community in the face of this wave of hate before it gets any worse."
According to a recent Pew Research Center study, three-quarters of Jewish Americans say there is more antisemitism in the US than five years ago, and 53% say they feel less safe. Jews who wear distinctive religious attire such as head coverings are particularly likely to feel less safe.
More than two dozen people were arrested as pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed in New York City's Times Square and police were investigating the gang assault of a Jewish man as a hate crime, police said Friday.
"It's absolutely disgusting and unacceptable," Mayor Bill de Blasio said on WNYC public radio. "We had a man viciously beaten simply because he appeared to some individuals to be Jewish. We had folks throwing very potent fireworks and creating harm to others and burning some folks, at least one person."
The melee on Thursday evening resulted in more than two dozen arrests on charges including hate crime assault, obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct, and criminal possession of a weapon, according to city police. Police said their hate crime unit was investigating the attack on the Jewish man as well as "professional-grade fireworks" being thrown at bystanders, injuring a woman.
A video posted to social media purporting to show the attack on the man shows a group of people striking and kicking what appears to be a person down on the street. One man appears to violently swing a crutch down on him.
The injured man, Joseph Borgen, later spoke to media outlets, telling FOX-5 on Friday he was "just cowering, just making sure I would survive."
"They were using their fists. They were kicking me, punching me, kicking me all over my body. I have bruises on my ribs, my back, all over," said Borgen, 29, who appeared with visible bruising on his face.
"What happened yesterday is not the answer to anyone's problems. Regardless of what skin color you are, what race you are, what ethnicity, what religion. It's just wrong on so many levels," he said.
Police on Friday afternoon announced on Twitter that Waseem Awawdeh, 23, was arrested for using a crutch to assault a man in that area. He was charged with hate crime assault and other charges. It could not immediately be determined if he had a lawyer.
The police did not provide further details.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday condemned the attack and said the state police Hate Crimes Task Force would offer assistance.
"New York is the vibrant and dynamic home for people from around the world. This tapestry makes New York the extraordinary place that it is. Those of all faiths, backgrounds, and ethnicities must be able to walk the streets safely and free from harassment and violence," Cuomo said in a prepared release.
During one part of the demonstrations, a large firework detonated on the sidewalk as groups of shouting pro-Palestinian protesters drove through Manhattan's Diamond District, which is closely associated with the city's Jewish community.
Video posted on social media showed people scrambling to get clear of the pyrotechnic as it detonated, and then showed shoving between bystanders and protesters, who shouted curses about Zionism.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire, Thursday, following 11 days of clashes that broke out when the Islamist terrorist groups fired rockets at Jerusalem.
De Blasio said city police reinforced their presence in sensitive areas of Jewish and Palestinian communities after the fighting began overseas.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
