The US House of Representatives, led by Representatives Jerrold Nadler, Daniel Goldman, and Jamie Raskin, has introduced a resolution condemning the sharp rise in antisemitic incidents across the nation on Tuesday.
This measure came in response to the alarming increase in antisemitic hate crimes, which has spiked by 25% from 2021 to 2022, according to the 2022 FBI Hate Crime Statistics.
The resolution, H. Res. ll, states: “Whereas there is an alarming rise in antisemitism in the United States, as reported by the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Anti-Defamation League, and the American Jewish Committee.”
It further notes that American Jews, though only comprising 2.4% of the US population, are the victims of 63 percent of reported religiously motivated hate crimes.
What is the focus of the resolution?
A significant focus of the resolution is the increase in antisemitism on college and university campuses, with a reported 41% increase from 2021 to 2022.
The resolution explicitly condemns these acts, stating, “Whereas Jewish students have been targeted for disparate treatment in classes, and derision and exclusion on college campuses and in official student organizations, not only because they are Jewish but often because of their real or perceived views about or connection to, or support for, the State of Israel.”
The resolution also addresses the broader implications of antisemitism, highlighting that “antisemitic conspiracy theories fuel other forms of hatred, discrimination, and bias, and threaten the foundations of our democracy.”
Recognizing the need for a concerted effort, the resolution calls for bipartisan collaboration and an all-of-government response to counter antisemitism, aligning with the US National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism introduced earlier this year.
Key points of the resolution include a call for increased funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program and other measures to enhance the safety of the American Jewish community. The resolution emphasizes that “combating antisemitism is essential to the broader fight against all forms of hatred and to the defense of our democracy.”