Escalation in Israel-Hamas Conflict Fuels Concerns Over Increasing Hostilities in the United States

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Incidents such as a lethal knife attack in Illinois, brandishing of a firearm at demonstrators in Pennsylvania, damage to synagogues, and intimidation of workers at a Palestinian restaurant are intensifying apprehensions that the conflict between Israel and Hamas is igniting a wave of violence within the United States.

This trend corresponds with a well-established pattern in which periods of heightened conflict in the Middle East result in an uptick in crimes targeting Jewish and Muslim communities in the U.S., sometimes involving fatalities or hostages.

Brian Levin, the founding director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, spoke of a “dual-threat landscape” facing religious communities in America.

Although it is premature to definitively conclude that hate crimes against Muslim and Jewish communities have surged during this period of Middle Eastern conflict, the FBI’s latest annual report disclosed that hate crimes in the United States escalated between 7% and 11,634 cases in 2022 compared to the year prior. Anti-Jewish offenses ranked second, with 1,124 incidents, following anti-Black crimes. The report also cited 158 anti-Muslim and 92 anti-Arab incidents.

Additional Context

Civil rights advocates argue that even before the flare-up of hostilities in Israel, official crime statistics likely underrepresented the true extent of hate crimes, citing insufficient local police reporting and a prevailing culture of fear among Muslim communities. Robert McCaw, the director of governmental affairs for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, highlighted a 2021 study by the University of California, Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute, which found that 85% of individuals experiencing Islamophobia chose not to report it.

Disturbing events continue to unfold. In Plainfield, Illinois, a landlord stands accused of assaulting a Palestinian American tenant and her child, resulting in the child’s death. Authorities state that the crime was motivated by the victims’ Muslim faith and tied to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Similarly, in Pennsylvania, an individual has been charged with ethnic intimidation for threatening participants of a pro-Palestinian gathering.

Abed Ayoub, the national executive director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, noted that his organization has received over 100 reports ranging from verbal harassment and threats to physical assaults, likening the current climate to the fraught period following the events of September 11, 2001.

Community Response

In Dearborn, Michigan, a city with the highest per capita Muslim population in the U.S., community and religious leaders convened to address the wave of threats and violence. Anti-Jewish hate crimes have historically risen during violent periods involving Israel and Palestine, confirmed by Brian Levin, who cited FBI data.

Various Jewish communities are bolstering their security measures, according to Julie Platt, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America. Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, New York, tensions run high among Palestinian Americans, some of whom expressed hesitancy in publicly displaying their heritage due to fears of backlash.

Local Impact

In New York City, a Palestinian restaurant named Ayat has been compelled to disable its phone line due to a barrage of menacing voicemails. However, co-owner Abdul Elenani emphasizes that this negativity is counterbalanced by support from his neighbors, many of whom are Jewish and advocate for reducing civilian casualties in the conflict.

The widening ramifications of the conflict between Israel and Hamas are increasingly making their presence felt on American soil, necessitating a collective effort to maintain domestic peace.

Report contributors include Joey Cappelletti in Dearborn, Michigan; Deepa Bharath in Los Angeles; Jake Offenhartz, Noreen Nasir, and Ayesha Mir in New York; Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Jim Salter in St. Louis.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Hate crimes in the U.S. amid Israel-Hamas conflict

More about Hate crimes in the U.S. amid Israel-Hamas conflict

• FBI Annual Hate Crime Report
• Council on American-Islamic Relations
• Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism
• Othering & Belonging Institute Study on Islamophobia
• American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
• Historical Data on Hate Crimes during Israeli-Palestinian Conflicts
• Jewish Federations of North America Security Programs