Rising Anti-Palestinianism in the U.S.: From Prejudice to Violent Hate Crimes
Understanding Systemic Bias Against Palestinians and Efforts to Combat It.
Anti-Palestinianism is an escalating form of racism that goes beyond political disagreements, manifesting as systematic bias aimed at stripping Palestinians of their identity and rights. In the United States, particularly amid recent events, this phenomenon has taken a disturbing turn, with hatred and incitement escalating into physical violence and deadly hate crimes.
Targeting Identity: Racism Against Palestinians
At its core, racism against Palestinians differs from broader anti-Arab or Islamophobic sentiments, as it directly targets Palestinian identity. It is a form of cultural racism that seeks to “silence, exclude, erase, stereotype, defame, or dehumanize Palestinians and their narratives.”
Examples include denying foundational historical events such as the Nakba, justifying violence against Palestinians, or refusing to recognize them as a legitimate people with rights. Palestinians and their allies—regardless of religion or background—are often falsely labeled as “anti-Semitic” or “terror sympathizers” to marginalize their narrative in public discourse.
Escalating Violence in the United States
In the last two years, the U.S. has witnessed a wave of horrific incidents that reveal the real impact of this racism, with Palestinian symbols like the keffiyeh becoming triggers for attacks. These incidents, driven by blind hatred, have spared no one:
| Incident | Location & Date | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Murder of Wadi Al-Fayoumi | Chicago, IL (Oct 2023) | A 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy was stabbed and killed by a landlord targeting the family for being Palestinian; his mother sustained serious injuries. |
| Shooting of Palestinian Students | Burlington, VT (Nov 2023) | Three Palestinian-American students wearing keffiyehs were shot at on the street by a stranger; one suffered paralysis. The attack is under investigation as a hate crime. |
| Austin Stabbing Incident | Austin, TX (Feb 2024) | A young Palestinian-American man was stabbed in the chest by a man shouting slurs and attempting to tear down a “Free Palestine” flag on his car. |
These cases show that anti-Palestinianism is no longer merely political rhetoric or institutional bias—it can escalate to physical violence and hate crimes intended to intimidate and silence Palestinian communities and their advocates in the U.S.
New Institutional Efforts to Confront Anti-Palestinianism
In response to this alarming trend, the Institute for Understanding Anti-Palestinian Racism was officially founded in May 2024. It is the only research institute in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to combating racism against Palestinians.
The institute’s mission is to eradicate this form of racism through empirical research and awareness campaigns. Its initial national study revealed shocking findings: nearly 90% of participants reported experiencing or witnessing anti-Palestinian racism, and three-quarters reported that these experiences affected their mental or physical health. This underscores the urgent need to accurately identify and confront this phenomenon on the basis of human rights and justice.
