In a somber yet impassioned address at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s annual Days of Remembrance ceremony on Tuesday, President Joe Biden called for a united front against the “ferocious surge” of antisemitism in America. He emphasized that such hatred has no place in the country and drew parallels between the atrocities of the Holocaust and the recent attack on Israel by Hamas.
Speaking at a pivotal moment in his reelection campaign, Biden reflected on the politically challenging period following the October 7 attack and the subsequent war in Gaza, which has been particularly personal for the longtime supporter of Israel who views antisemitism as antithetical to American values.
“We must give hate no safe harbor against anyone,” Biden declared.
However, the president’s unwavering support for Israel’s war against Hamas, which has resulted in the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians, has created deep divisions within the coalition that helped him secure the White House in 2020. Protests against Israel’s campaign and the Biden administration’s support for it have spread across college campuses nationwide, highlighting potential political challenges the president faces with younger voters crucial to his bid for a second term.
During his keynote address, Biden sought to establish direct connections between the horrors experienced by Jews under the Nazi regime, the recent attack on Israel by Hamas, and the rise in antisemitism that followed.
“This ancient hatred of Jews didn’t begin with the Holocaust – it didn’t end with the Holocaust, either, or even after our victory in World War II. This hatred continues to lie deep in the hearts of too many people in the world and requires our continued vigilance and outspokenness,” Biden stated.
He added, “Now, here we are – not 75 years later, but just seven and a half months later – and people are already forgetting. They’re already forgetting that Hamas unleashed this terror. … I have not forgotten, nor have you, and we will not forget.”
The president pointed to a “ferocious surge” in antisemitism across the US following the October 7 attack, ranging from propaganda on social media to harassment and attacks on Jewish students on college campuses.
“Too many people denying, downplaying, rationalizing and ignoring the horrors of the Holocaust and October 7 – including Hamas’ appalling use of sexual violence to torture and terrorize. It’s absolutely despicable – and it must stop,” Biden said, his voice rising with emotion.
Despite the president’s forceful condemnation of antisemitism and Islamophobia in the days following Hamas’ attacks on Israel, incidents of both have increased significantly in the seven months since the war began. The Anti-Defamation League reported a 140% rise in antisemitic incidents from 2022 to 2023, with a “dramatic” increase occurring after October 7. Moreover, an ADL report on antisemitic attitudes in America in 2024 revealed that younger Americans are “more likely to endorse anti-Jewish tropes.”
