Sharp Rise in Discrimination Against Muslims and Palestinians in the U.S. Amid Gaza Conflict: CAIR Report

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reports a 70% increase in discrimination against Muslims and Palestinians in the U.S. during the first half of 2024. This surge in incidents correlates with the Israel-Gaza conflict that began in October 2023, leading to numerous hate crimes, protests, and human rights violations.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has reported a staggering 70% increase in discrimination and attacks against Muslims and Palestinians in the United States during the first half of 2024. This surge is attributed to the heightened Islamophobia stemming from Israel's ongoing war in Gaza.

Human rights advocates have noted a global rise in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian bias, and antisemitism since the October 2023 eruption of the Israel-Gaza conflict, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and a severe humanitarian crisis. CAIR documented 4,951 complaints related to anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian incidents in the first six months of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.

The complaints primarily concerned immigration and asylum, employment discrimination, education discrimination, and hate crimes. Noteworthy incidents include the fatal stabbing of a Palestinian-American child in Illinois and the shooting of three Palestinian descent students in Vermont. The CAIR report also highlighted police and university crackdowns on pro-Palestinian protests.

(With inputs from agencies.)