What's happened
President Biden delivers a strong condemnation of rising antisemitism in the U.S. amid pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses, tying the sentiment to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack against Israel. His emotional speech at a Holocaust remembrance ceremony at the Capitol is met with mixed reactions, with Republicans dismissing it as meek and left-wing supporters criticizing him for conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism.
Why it matters
President Biden's condemnation of antisemitism comes at a critical time as hate crimes and antisemitic incidents are on the rise in the U.S. His speech aims to address the surge in antisemitism amid pro-Palestinian protests and defend Israel's right to exist as an independent state. The president's words highlight the ongoing challenges of balancing support for Israel with calls for the protection of civilians in Gaza, amidst a backdrop of increasing tensions and ideological divides.
What the papers say
The New York Times reports that President Biden's speech at the Holocaust remembrance ceremony was fiercely necessary, appreciated by Jews, and condemned rising antisemitism. The Times of Israel highlights Biden's forceful condemnation of anti-Israel campus protests and his defense of Israel's right to exist. The Guardian emphasizes Biden's warning against a surge of antisemitism in America and his commitment to Israel's security. The Independent covers Biden's fiery remarks condemning antisemitic demonstrations and downplaying of the 7 October terror attacks. Axios discusses the White House's efforts to address college protests and combat antisemitism, with Biden condemning the chaos stemming from the protests.
How we got here
President Biden's condemnation of rising antisemitism follows a surge in hate crimes and antisemitic incidents in the U.S., particularly amid pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses. The speech at the Holocaust remembrance ceremony comes in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack against Israel, which Biden ties to the ongoing antisemitic sentiment. The president's address aims to strike a balance between supporting Israel and addressing concerns over civilian casualties in Gaza, amidst growing tensions and ideological divisions.
Common question
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Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
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Karine Jean-Pierre is a Martinican-born Haitian-American political campaign organizer, activist, political commentator, and lecturer in international and public affairs at Columbia University.
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the World War II genocide of the European Jews. Between 1941 and 1945, across German-occupied Europe, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews, around two-thirds of Europe