JCPA Statement on U.S. National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) CEO Amy Spitalnick released the following statement on the Biden-Harris administration’s newly released U.S. National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate:

“The fight against hate isn’t zero-sum. Fighting Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate makes Jews, and all Americans, safer – just as fighting antisemitism is inherent to the rights and safety of all Americans.

In fact, as both this strategy and the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism recognize, our safety and our futures are inextricably linked. It is only by building deep cross-community solidarity and coalitions that we can effectively protect all of our communities and advance a truly inclusive, pluralistic democracy.

Yet, particularly in the aftermath of October 7^th, we’ve seen extremists exploit this moment of pain for the Jewish community to spread bigotry and extremism against our Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian American neighbors. As we said last October, we refuse to allow anyone to use our pain as an excuse to advance hate.

We welcome the National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate as a crucial step forward – and stand ready to work with our partners in the Muslim and Arab American communities, and with willing officials on all levels of government, to advance its critical goals in the months and years ahead. In particular, we urge the incoming administration to similarly recognize the urgency of countering this virulent hate.”

In October 2023, following the October 7^th attacks in Israel and the murder of six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi in Illinois, JCPA organized over 160 Jewish organizations in a statement rejecting Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate.