Biden compares Hamas to Nazis and condemns the ‘ferocious surge of antisemitism’ across the U.S. including on college campuses in Holocaust memorial speech

President Joe Biden compared Hamas’ actions to those of the Nazis and condemned the “wild wave of anti-Semitism” rising across America.

“I haven’t forgotten, and neither have you, and we won’t forget,” the president said during a speech at a Holocaust memorial ceremony at the U.S. Capitol.

“While Jews around the world continue to deal with the atrocities and trauma of that day and its aftermath, we have seen a wild wave of anti-Semitism in America and around the world,” he noted.

Biden’s speech on Capitol Hill Tuesday came as it was tries to balance his support for him Israel‘s war with care for the citizens of Gaza and amid tensions in his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu.

He spoke at a critical moment: Israel has sent tanks to Rafah and taken control of the Gaza side of a border crossing into Egypt that is a key conduit for humanitarian aid. And in the US, college campuses have been rocked by pro-Palestinian protests, with some schools canceling commencement speeches as the demonstrations turn anti-Semitic.

In a powerful speech that was greeted with several rounds of applause, the president pledged to support Israel’s right to exist “even if we don’t agree with it.”

He began his remarks by outlining the rise of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany in 1933, noting that the dictator “came to power by reviving one of the world’s oldest forms of prejudice and hate-anti-Semitism ‘ through propaganda and economic hardship.

“We recommit to leading the lessons of one of the darkest chapters in human history, reviving them and realizing the responsibility of never again,” he noted.

And, he emphasized, “the truth is that we run the risk of people not knowing the truth.”

“Now here we are not 75 years later, but only seven and a half months later,” he added, referring to the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas – the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.

“People are already forgetting – already forgetting – that Hamas unleashed this terror,” he said, vowing: “I haven’t forgotten, and neither have you.” And we won’t forget it.’

He wore a dark suit and tie during his keynote address at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s annual National Days of Remembrance. The audience was filled with members of Congress, Jewish leaders and Holocaust survivors.

The president has struggled to balance his support for Israel with his efforts to protect Palestine’s civilian population.

About a million refugees have visited Rafah. Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday of a large-scale attack on the area, but Israeli forces continued anyway.

Progressives have urged the president to do more to help Palestinian refugees.

And young voters, a key constituency for Biden, have expressed dissatisfaction with the war.

As the issue becomes increasingly contentious, some protests on campuses have begun to feature anti-Semitic chants and threats toward Jewish students.

Biden defended America’s right to free speech, but said there is no place for violence in the country.

“There is no place on any campus in America – anywhere in America – for anti-Semitism or threats of violence at any time – whether against Jews or anyone else,” he said.

“Destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It’s against the law. We are not a lawless country. We are a civil society.’

“We know that scapegoating and demonizing any minority is a threat to every minority, and to the foundation of our democracy.”

He then reiterated his commitment to Israel.

“To the Jewish community, I want you to know: I see your fear, your pain, your pain. As president, I can reassure you: you are not alone. You belong. You always have and you always will. “My commitment to the security of the Jewish people, the security of Israel and its right to exist as an independent state is ironclad, even if we disagree,” he said.

“That’s why I call on all Americans to stand united against anti-Semitism and hatred in all its forms.”

About 35,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to health authorities. And many of the area’s 2.3 million people are on the brink of starvation as the UN worries about famine.

Biden himself has had to deal with protesters at his public events, with many of them calling him “Genocide Joe.”

He has spoken little about the protesters who follow him and those who disrupt college campuses. More than 2,000 people have been arrested on college campuses since April 18.

“There is the right to protest, but not the right to cause chaos,” he said last week in his first in-depth remarks on the issue. “People have the right to get an education, the right to get a degree, the right to walk safely across campus without fear of being attacked.”

Along with Biden’s speech, his administration is highlighting its actions to combat anti-Semitism.

The Department of Education is sending a letter to every school district and college in the country with examples of anti-Semitism and other hatred that could lead to federal civil rights investigations.

Since the October 7 attack, the department has opened more than 100 investigations into complaints of anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination under Title VI.

On Monday, Second Gen. Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, met with Jewish students at the White House about the administration’s efforts to combat anti-Semitism.

Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security is “building an online guide to campus safety information” to provide “financial, educational, and technical assistance” to campuses, according to a White House fact sheet.

And the State Department’s Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism “will convene technology companies to identify best practices to address anti-Semitic content online,” the fact sheet said.

Biden’s Republican rival in the presidential race, Donald Trump, has sought to capitalize on Democratic divisions over Israel’s response to boost the Republican Party’s chances among Jewish voters, who traditionally vote Democratic.

“Jewish Americans are realizing that the Democratic Party has turned into a full-fledged anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist cabal, and that is why more and more Jewish Americans are supporting President Trump,” Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters. . Reuters.

According to the Pew Research Center, about seven in 10 Jewish voters in the U.S. support Democrats, while three in 10 are Republican voters.

In response, Biden’s campaign released a long list of Trump’s anti-Semitic comments and behavior, including reports that Trump reportedly said Adolf Hitler “did some good things.”

But polls show that young voters are dissatisfied with the president.

A survey by the Institute of Politics at Harvard University’s Kennedy School found that only 18% of young voters approve of Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas.