Ilhan Omar Demands Special Envoy against Islamophobia
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Democratic Representative, Ilhan Omar, with a group of Democratic lawmakers call on the Secretary of State Antony Blinken to create a special envoy to combat Islamophobia.
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Ilhan Omar demands appointing a special envoy to combat Islamophobia in the US
Lawmakers urged the Biden administration to create a special envoy to monitor and combat Islamophobia, as this phenomenon continues to spread worldwide.
The group of lawmakers, led by Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, pointed out the increasing anti-Muslim attacks, portraying it as a worldwide issue that the US must address internationally. Meanwhile, 25 democratic representatives signed a letter addressed to tackle the persecution of Muslims all over the globe.
In the letter to Blinken, "As part of our commitment to international religious freedom and human rights, we must recognize Islamophobia as a pattern that is repeating in nearly every corner of the globe…. It is past time for the United States to stand firmly in favor of religious freedom for all, and to give the global problem of Islamophobia the attention and prioritization it deserves."
The lawmakers' call to Blinken comes at a time when violent attacks against Muslims have increased in the United States. Moreover, an American assaulted two Muslim couples in two separate incidents while shouting anti-Muslim slogans, according to a video released by the US police this month. The event occurred in Queens, New York.
According to the police, the "unknown racist" hurled anti-Muslim slurs at the victims. Then he punched the man in the back and grabbed the woman's veil, hitting her in the arm before running away.
🚨Watch new video of the individual wanted in connection with the 6/20/21, Liberty Ave. anti-Muslim assaults in @NYPD103Pct and @NYPD106Pct. Know him? Please DM us or @NYPDTips or call them at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). @NYPDShea @NYPDDetectives @QueensDAKatz @mayorsCAU @NYPDMuslim https://t.co/cdJDLGjWgv pic.twitter.com/NPMUvxGAmj
— NYPD Hate Crimes (@NYPDHateCrimes) June 30, 2021
Another incident in which a Muslim woman and her husband faced a racist attack by a woman for wearing the Islamic headscarf was widely condemned on social media platforms.
The attacker, a woman of Ukrainian origin, attacked Nahla Obeid inside a store, who recorded the incident with her phone.
The recording, which Nahla posted on her Facebook page, showed a violent verbal attack by the Ukrainian woman, as she called the police and informed them that "there are Muslims in America, and they are inside a store."
The victim (Nahla) insisted on waiting for the police to arrest the Ukrainian assailant, which prompted her to apologize to Nahla and her husband.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
