Biden warns against antisemitism and Islamophobia in U.S. after Hamas attack in Israel

Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday night, President Biden spoke about antisemitism and Islamophobia in the U.S. after the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel by Hamas. “We reject all forms of hate, whether against Muslims, Jews or anyone,” Biden said. “That’s what great nations do, and we are a great nation.”

Video Transcript

JOE BIDEN: In recent years, too much hate is given too much oxygen, fueling racism, the rise of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia right here in America. It's also intensified in the wake of recent events that led to the horrific threats and attacks that both shock us and break our hearts.

On October 7, terror attacks have triggered deep scars and terrible memories in the Jewish community. Today, Jewish families worried about being targeted in school, wearing symbols of their face walking down the street, or going out about their daily lives.

And I know many of you in the Muslim-American community, the Arab-American community, the Palestinian-American community, and so many others are outraged and hurting, saying to yourselves, here we go again with Islamophobia and distrust we saw after 9/11.

Just last week, a mother was brutally stabbed. A little boy here in the United States-- a little boy who just turned six years old was murdered in their home outside of Chicago. His name was Wadea. Wadea. A proud American. A proud Palestinian-American family. We can't stand by and stand silent when this happens.

We must without equivocation denounce anti-Semitism. We must also without equivocation denounce Islamophobia. And to all you hurting, those you're hurting, I want you to know I see you. You belong. And I want to say this to you-- you're All-American. You're All-American.

This is in a moment-- in moments like these when fear and suspicion, anger and rage run hard, that we have to work harder than ever to hold on to the values that make us who we are. We're a nation of religious freedom, freedom of expression. We all have a right to debate and disagree without fear of being targeted in schools or workplaces or in our communities.

I must renounce violence and vitriol. See each other not as enemies, but as fellow Americans. When I was in Israel yesterday, I said that when America experienced the hell of 9/11, we felt enraged as well. While we sought and got justice, we made mistakes. So I cautioned the government of Israel not to be blinded by rage.

And here in America, let us not forget who we are. We reject all forms, all forms of hate, whether against Muslims, Jews, or anyone. That's what great nations do. And we are a great nation.