US President Joe Biden sharply criticized the recent atrocity committed by Hamas, calling it "the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust," he said in a statement by the White House on Friday.
Reflecting on the events of October 7th, President Biden remarked, "On a sacred Jewish holiday, the terrorist group Hamas unleashed pure evil on the people of Israel, slaughtering 1,400 Jews and taking hundreds more hostage." He underscored the link between this act and the haunting legacy of antisemitism, noting that such events bring to light "painful memories evoked by millennia of antisemitism and the genocide of the Jewish people."
The President's statement coincided with the fifth anniversary of the attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, which he described as "the deadliest act of antisemitism in our nation’s history."
"Bolstering security measures around Jewish centers nationwide"
Addressing the broader issue of antisemitism, President Biden voiced his concerns about its "alarming rise both abroad and domestically." He affirmed, "Under my presidency, we will condemn antisemitism unwaveringly. We are bolstering security measures around Jewish centers nationwide."
He went on to spotlight initiatives from his administration, noting, "The Justice Department has prioritized combating hate crimes. We've enacted the most significant gun safety legislation in nearly three decades and launched the first-ever national strategy to counter antisemitism. Hate never truly disappears; it merely lurks, waiting for a spark. As a nation, our duty is to ensure it finds none."
Concluding with a message of unity and resilience, President Biden urged, "In these trying times, we must retain our hope and vision for a better tomorrow. We must consistently denounce bigotry and hate in all manifestations, be they racism, antisemitism, or Islamophobia."