White House to address rising antisemitism, attacks on Jewish people | News24

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.

• US Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff will champion a roundtable event addressing antisemitism. 
• Jewish leaders will be present at the discussion. 
• This comes as antisemitic incidents and rhetoric are on the rise in the US.

The White House will address rising antisemitism in a roundtable event with Jewish leaders on Wednesday focused on attacks against Jewish people across the United States and how to combat hate.

The White House did not say which leaders from the Jewish community would attend the event, hosted by second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a president or a vice president.

The move comes as reports of antisemitism have increased nationwide. The issue has drawn headlines in recent weeks after former Republican President Donald Trump hosted white supremacist Nick Fuentes and the musician formerly known as Kanye West at his private club in Florida.

West, now called Ye, has drawn widespread criticism for a spate of antisemitic comments – including praise for Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler – and was suspended from Twitter last week.

Some Republicans have criticized Trump’s dinner with Fuentes and Ye, but have stopped short of directly criticizing Trump, who has said he did not know Fuentes.

President Joe Biden said in a Twitter post on Friday:

Last year saw the largest number of antisemitic incidents, including murder, physical assault, harassment and vandalism, since the Anti-Defamation League began collecting records 40 years ago, the racism watchdog said in its most recent annual audit.

“I’m in pain right now. Perpetuating lies, such as the denial of the Holocaust, and praising fascist murderers, is dangerous and fans the flames of antisemitism and hate,” Emhoff, who is married to US Vice President Kamala Harris, said in a Twitter post on Friday.

“We all have an obligation to condemn these vile acts. We must not stay silent.”