WASHINGTON, Nov 13 Former US State Department official, director general Muslim rights group Emgage Wael Alzayat said he and other Islamic community leaders recently met with Joe Biden and called on the president to tone down his rhetoric on the Gaza conflict to avoid anti-Muslim sentiment.
«We told the president that we need him and his administration to do better when it comes to showing compassion for the Palestinians and speaking out against Islamophobia,» Alzayat said, adding that the White House had agreed to work on the issue.
He noted that Muslim community leaders during the meeting with Biden expressed disappointment with the White House's rhetoric, which likely gives the green light to Israel to do whatever it wants in Gaza.
According to Alzayat, the rhetoric of the administration, politicians and the media is leading to anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian sentiment, as well as an increase in attacks on Muslims.
On October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented-scale rocket attack from the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, announced by the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement. After this, the organization’s fighters entered the border areas in southern Israel, where they opened fire on both military and civilians, and also took more than 200 hostages. In Israel, according to the latest government data, about 1.2 thousand people were killed, this number includes civilians, soldiers, foreign citizens and workers, and it was also reported that more than 5 thousand were injured.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Within a few days, the Israeli military took control of all populated areas near the border with Gaza and began carrying out air strikes on targets, including civilians, in the strip. Israel also announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip: the supply of water, food, electricity, medicine, and fuel was stopped.
The death toll from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip has exceeded 11 thousand, and more than 28 thousand people have been injured. The Russian Embassy reported that during the escalation of the conflict, 20 Russians were killed, two were taken hostage, and seven were listed as missing. According to various sources, about 150 Israelis may be held captive by Hamas. The movement itself stated that there are about 200-250 prisoners in the Gaza Strip.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the parties to stop hostilities. According to the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the settlement of the Middle East crisis is possible only on the basis of a “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council, which provides for the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, related to the territorial interests of the parties, has been a source of tension and clashes in the region for many decades. A UN decision with the active role of the USSR in 1947 determined the creation of two states — Israel and Palestine, but only the Israeli one was created.