BY WILLIE JAMES INMAN
DECEMBER 28, 2023 / 5:01 PM EST / CBS NEWS
The White House’s push to create a strategy to counter Islamophobia is facing reluctance amid a spike in hate-fueled incidents against Arab and Muslim Americans since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
CBS News spoke with several Muslim and Arab American advocates who voiced frustration with the Biden administration’s response to the situation in Gaza, citing the increasing number of civilians that have been killed and President Biden stopping short of calling for a cease-fire.
Muslim American advocate Salam Al-Marayati has worked with the Biden White House in the past. But despite the Biden administration’s efforts to craft a strategy to counter Islamophobia in the U.S., he’s skeptical about working with them in the future.
“At this moment in time, it is very hard to even imagine how a national strategy to counter Islamophobia will work, Al-Marayati, the president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, which is also a member of the American Muslim Community Coalition, told CBS News. “American Muslims here in the United States feel unsafe and unsupported as they witness the horrific attacks on Palestinians in Gaza. Muslim families, students, and employees are afraid to speak out for fear of retribution as many who have spoken out have faced retaliatory action including loss of employment, suspension, censorship, trolling, bullying, and targeted violence.”