The authorities in suburban Chicago accused a man of fatally stabbing a 6-year-old boy who was seriously wounding the boy’s mother because they were Muslim, an attack that officials tied to the violence in Israel and Gaza.
The minor boy killing sent shock waves to Muslim community leaders, who urged American politicians and journalists to more fully reflect the humanity of Palestinian people.
Democratic Illinois state representative, who is Palestinian American, Abdelnasser Rashid said, “This was directly connected to dehumanizing of Palestinians.”
Investigators in Will County, Ill., southwest of Chicago, described a gory scene.
They said a 71-year-old landlord turned on the boy and his mother, who were his tenants, at their home in Plainfield Township on Saturday morning—stabbing them repeatedly with a serrated knife that had a seven-inch blade.
‘Act of hate has no place’, US President
“Jill and I were shocked and sickened to learn of the brutal murder of a six-year-old child and the attempted murder of the child’s mother in their home yesterday in Illinois,” the US president.
The child’s Palestinian Muslim family came to America seeking what we all seek—a refuge to live, learn, and pray in peace.
This horrific act of hate has no place in America, and stands against our fundamental values: freedom from fear for how we pray, what we believe, and who we are.
As Americans, we must come together and reject Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry and hatred. I have said repeatedly that I will not be silent in the face of hate. We must be unequivocal. There is no place in America for hate against anyone.
We join everyone here at the White House in sending our condolences and prayers to the family, including for the mother’s recovery, and to the broader Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim American communities.
US NSA talks to Arab community leaders
US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer’s recently held meetings with Arab and Muslim American community leaders.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer held sessions with Arab and Muslim American community leaders in the wake of Hamas’s abhorrent attack in Israel and the resulting conflict in Gaza.
During the conversations, community leaders shared a range of experiences, suggestions, and concerns. Sullivan and Finer briefed on Administration efforts to assist Americans attempting to leave Gaza and the West Bank and provided the latest updates on U.S.
Government coordination with the United Nations, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and others in the region to facilitate humanitarian assistance and ensure civilians have access to water, food, and medical care in Gaza.
Sullivan and Finer reiterated President Biden’s remarks that there is no place in America for hatred of any community, and they discussed with participants how the federal government can support affected communities.
