Jewish, Muslim faith leaders denounce xenophobia Tuesday during OKC council meeting

Leaders of Oklahoma City's Jewish and Muslim faith communities appeared in front of the Oklahoma City Council Tuesday to speak out against rising antisemitism and Islamophobia in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

Rabbi Vered Harris, spiritual leader of Temple B’nai Israel in Oklahoma City, and Imad Enchassi, senior imam of the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, commented on their close friendship and shared stories of personal struggle and lessons of solidarity to officials at City Hall Tuesday morning.

Much of their remarks underscored a call for unity amid the ongoing bloody conflict in the Middle East between the Israeli military and Palestinian militants — even as the two faith leaders mourn the deaths of family members in Israel and Gaza.

"I love Israel and wish we did not have to defend the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state and its obligation to protect its existence," Harris told city councilmembers Tuesday. "I care about the plight of the Palestinian people and wish they lived in safety and peace on land they love. My wishes do not change global politics."

More: Oklahoma crowd shows solidarity at 'A Night to Stand with Israel"

Reports of violence and threats against people of Jewish heritage, Muslim faith and Arab descent have been on the rise throughout the United States since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which killed at least 1,400 people. More than 5,000 Palestinians have been killed in bombardments of Gaza by the Israeli military that quickly followed.

"I am not willing to ignore the pain of my neighbor," Harris said. "I am not willing to stay silent when I hear anti-Muslim rhetoric. I am not willing to give up hope that we can live in peace and with respect."

Enchassi, a Palestinian refugee who grew up in Lebanon, remembered being racially profiled after the 1995 Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing in downtown Oklahoma City. He said he had not seen anti-Muslim rhetoric surge this quickly since terrorist attacks on 9/11 in New York, and he told city councilmembers he himself had received several death threats in the 18 days since the latest Israel-Hamas war began.

Despite these struggles and trials, Enchassi said a strong interfaith community emerged in Oklahoma City throughout the past three decades that fostered a sense of community for people of all faiths, a diversity he appreciates and hopes that people continue to bolster and build in the face of hatred and intolerance.

"You must understand, what is happening halfway across the world cannot be understood in a TikTok video or through a news clip," Enchassi said. "More than seven decades have brought us to where we are today and the mass amount of ignorance surrounding this issue has led to the resurgence of anti-Muslim hate the likes of which we thought were far behind us."

"Today we stand united, unwavering in our condemnation of Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, hate-based violence, and xenophobia," Enchassi continued. "We implore the city council of Oklahoma City to join us in affirming that Oklahoma City is a place where religious diversity is valued and protected."

Israel-Hamas war timeline: What to know about main players, history of conflict

Ward 2 Councilperson James Cooper, who invited Enchassi and Harris to speak, also remarked on his own memories of trying to provide words of comfort at a local mosque after terrorist attacks in 2019 against the Muslim community in Christchurch, New Zealand — two weeks before he had even been sworn in for his first term as a councilmember.

“Oklahoma City is for everyone,” Cooper said. “It’s the promise of the very founding documents of this country. We’ve not always lived up to that promise, but we know that all of us are endowed by our Creator to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

More: Oklahoma City Muslims speak out against treatment of Palestinians in war-torn Gaza

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC faith leaders denounce xenophobia in wake of Mideast conflict