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Majority of New Yorkers says antisemitism, Islamophobia have increased since Oct. 7
(New York Jewish Week) – A majority of New Yorkers believes Jews and Muslims are experiencing widespread discrimination and that such bigotry has increased since Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on Israel, according to a poll released on Monday.
The survey from the Siena College Research Institute also found that 25% of respondents said the attack was a result of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians, while condemning the murder of civilians. A slim majority said the attack left Israel with no choice but to launch a counteroffensive against Hamas.
The study surveyed 803 registered voters in New York State and was conducted between November 12-15. The margin of error was 4.6%.
The survey found that 37% of New Yorkers believe Jews are facing a great deal of antisemitism and 36% say that Jews are facing some antisemitism, a total of 73%. Seventy-five percent of respondents said the level of anti-Jewish discrimination has increased since Oct. 7.
The survey panel included approximately 70 Jews, most of whom said there is a great deal of antisemitism. Nearly all said antisemitism had increased since the attack.
A slightly smaller percentage of the overall respondents said Muslims were facing discrimination, with 24% saying Muslims faced a great deal of Islamophobia, and 38% saying there was some Islamophobia, a total of 62%. The majority — 59% — said the level of Islamophobia had increased since the Hamas attack.
The New York City Police Department reported 69 hate crimes against Jews last month, and eight against Muslims, marking a surge in antisemitism compared to the rest of this year and October 2022.
Survey respondents also appeared to support Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which began after the Oct. 7 attack. A slim majority — 51% — supported providing more military and economic aid to Israel, with 37% opposed. A majority of Democrats and Republicans were in favor of increased aid, and a majority of independents were against it. A recent poll found that most Americans back a ceasefire in the conflict, a position Israel has rejected because it would leave Hamas in power.
Asked to choose between two options, 59% of all respondents in the Siena poll, and nearly all Jews, said the Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians were “an unspeakable crime” that should be condemned without hesitation or explanation. Some 25% of overall respondents chose the other option: they condemned the murder of civilians, but said they believed the attacks “were a result of decades of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.” Black and Latino respondents were nearly evenly divided on that question.
Similarly, asked to choose between another two options, a majority of respondents in all parties condemned the killing of innocent civilians in Gaza, but said Israel was “left no other choice” to attack Hamas to protect its security and try to free hostages. Thirty percent of all respondents chose the other option, saying the deaths of Palestinian civilians should be condemned without hesitation or explanation.
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The post Majority of New Yorkers says antisemitism, Islamophobia have increased since Oct. 7 appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Lebanon Must Disarm Hezbollah to Have a Shot at Better Days, Says US Envoy
Thomas Barrack at the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., November 4, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
i24 News – Lebanon’s daunting social, economic and political issues would not get resolved unless the state persists in the efforts to disarm Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy behind so much of the unrest and destruction, special US envoy Tom Barrack told The National.
“You have Israel on one side, you have Iran on the other, and now you have Syria manifesting itself so quickly that if Lebanon doesn’t move, it’s going to be Bilad Al Sham again,” he said, using the historical Arabic name for the region sometimes known as “larger Syria.”
The official stressed the need to follow through on promises to disarm the Iranian proxy, which suffered severe blows from Israel in the past year, including the elimination of its entire leadership, and is considered a weakened though still dangerous jihadist outfit.
“There are issues that we have to arm wrestle with each other over to come to a final conclusion. Remember, we have an agreement, it was a great agreement. The problem is, nobody followed it,” he told The National.
Barrack spoke on the heels of a trip to Beirut, where he proposed a diplomatic plan for the region involving the full disarmament of Hezbollah by the Lebanese state.
The post Lebanon Must Disarm Hezbollah to Have a Shot at Better Days, Says US Envoy first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Report: Putin Urges Iran to Accept ‘Zero Enrichment’ Nuclear Deal With US
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of a cultural forum dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Turkmen poet and philosopher Magtymguly Fragi, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Oct. 11, 2024. Photo: Sputnik/Alexander Scherbak/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Iranian leadership that he supports the idea of a nuclear deal in which Iran is unable to enrich uranium, the Axios website reported on Saturday. The Russian strongman also relayed the message to his American counterpart, President Donald Trump, the report said.
Iranian news agency Tasnim issued a denial, citing an “informed source” as saying Putin had not sent any message to Iran in this regard.
Also on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that “Any negotiated solution must respect Iran’s right to enrichment. No agreement without recognizing our right to enrichment. If negotiations occur, the only topic will be the nuclear program. No other issues, especially defense or military matters, will be on the agenda.”
The post Report: Putin Urges Iran to Accept ‘Zero Enrichment’ Nuclear Deal With US first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Syria’s Al-Sharaa Attending At Least One Meeting With Israeli Officials in Azerbaijan
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 7, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/Pool
i24 News – Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is attending at least one meeting with Israeli officials in Azerbaijan today, despite sources in Damascus claiming he wasn’t attending, a Syrian source close to President Al-Sharaa tells i24NEWS.
The Syrian source stated that this is a series of two or three meetings between the sides, with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani also in attendance, along with Ahmed Al-Dalati, the Syrian government’s liaison for security meetings with Israel.
The high-level Israeli delegation includes a special envoy of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as security and military figures.
The purpose of the meetings is to discuss further details of the security agreement to be signed between Israel and Syria, the Iranian threat in Syria and Lebanon, Hezbollah’s weapons, the weapons of Palestinian militias, the Palestinians camps in Lebanon, and the future of Palestinian refugees from Gaza in the region.
The possibility of opening an Israeli coordination office in Damascus, without diplomatic status, might also be discussed.
The source stated that the decision to hold the meetings in Azerbaijan, made by Israel and the US, is intended to send a message to Iran.
The post Syria’s Al-Sharaa Attending At Least One Meeting With Israeli Officials in Azerbaijan first appeared on Algemeiner.com.