The attack on three young Palestinian men near the University of Vermont’s campus in the United States occurred amid a backdrop of increasing anti-Palestinian sentiments in the country.
The victims, identified as Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdel Hamid, and Tahseen Ahmed, were shot near the University of Vermont’s campus in Burlington. According to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the motive behind the attack remains unknown. The ADC received information indicating that the victims, who were wearing keffiyeh and speaking Arabic, were harassed before being shot. Two of the victims are in intensive care, while one was expected to be released on Sunday, according to the ADC.
The ADC, stating that hate was a motivating factor in the shooting, has called on law enforcement to investigate the incident accordingly. This incident is reflective of the unprecedented surge in anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian sentiment in the US, as mentioned by ADC’s Director Abed Ayoub.
The attack comes at a time when anti-Palestinian sentiments are on the rise in the US, with support from both Republican and Democratic politicians for Israel’s actions in Gaza, despite a growing Palestinian death toll and accusations of war crimes. The incident also occurred against the backdrop of Israel’s ground and air assault on Gaza, resulting in significant Palestinian casualties and extensive damage to the Strip.
SOURCE:
dworldgist.com