President Joe Biden condemned the rise of antisemitic attacks in the United States on Monday, three days after Jewish groups begged him to do so.
“The recent attacks on the Jewish community are despicable, and they must stop,” Biden wrote on social media. “I condemn this hateful behavior at home and abroad — it’s up to all of us to give hate no safe harbor.”
But on Friday the president ignored a group letter from The Jewish Federations of North America, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the American Jewish Committee, Hadassah, and the Orthodox Union.
“Use your bully pulpit to call out antisemitism,” the letter read. “Harness the authority of the Presidency and the United States Government to speak out loudly and clearly against antisemitism.”
The Anti-Defamation League reported a surge in antisemitic attacks in the United States four days ago.
The president did not address the issue during his opening remarks at a press conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, or during several questions on Israel and the Middle East from reporters.
On Saturday evening, a group of men in New York City reportedly harassed a group of Orthodox Jews and yelled “Free Palestine — kill all the Jews” prompting an investigation from the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force.
Earlier today Orthodox Jews were harassed in front of this Shul on 16th Avenue by a group of males yelling “Free Palestine – kill all the Jews”.
We are hearing of multiple similar incidents that occurred over Shabbos. These perpetrators must be brought to justice. pic.twitter.com/gEkhKpTqpC
— Simcha Eichenstein (@SEichenstein) May 23, 2021
That prompted Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) to meet with Jewish community leaders and condemn anti-Semitism.
“The attacks we saw in Brooklyn last night were unconscionable. They were pure, unbridled anti-Semitism. And we do not need to look far too back in history to know what happens if we let that hatred go unchecked,” de Blasio said Sunday on social media.
But Biden was silent until the following Monday when his team issued a statement on social media.
The recent attacks on the Jewish community are despicable, and they must stop. I condemn this hateful behavior at home and abroad — it’s up to all of us to give hate no safe harbor.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 24, 2021
Vice President Kamala Harris also issued a statement condemning the attacks on social media, after Biden.
The surge in anti-Semitic attacks against the Jewish community in the U.S. and around the world is despicable—it must be called out, condemned, and stopped. As a country, we must stand united against hate of any kind.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) May 24, 2021
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