The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned a “Death to the Arabs” post by an Israeli tourist in Florida who was reportedly shot in Miami Beach because the alleged pro-Israel attacker thought he was “Palestinian.”
Mordechai Brafman, 27, was charged with two counts of attempted murder after reportedly making a U-turn to stop in front of the victim’s vehicle and shooting “17 times, unprovoked, striking both victims.” Police say that while he was in custody, Brafman said that “he saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both.” The victims were not killed, but one of the them was shot in the shoulder, while the other’s arm was grazed by a bullet.
SEE: Pro-Israel Gunman Opens Fire in Miami after Mistaking Victims for Palestinians
One of the shooting victims later reportedly posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) falsely claiming the shooting was “anti-Semitic” and wrote: “Death to the Arabs.”
Yesterday, CAIR’s Florida chapter called for federal hate crime charges in the case.
“It is deeply ironic and telling that both the alleged pro-Israel perpetrator and the pro-Israel victim in the Miami Beach shooting reportedly hold racist anti-Palestinian views,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “This just the latest example of the hate targeting the Palestinian-American community in this country and Palestinians in their homeland. Policymakers in our nation should stop fomenting the anti-Palestinian hate that led to the genocide in Gaza and to hate crimes in America.”
Awad added that the incident should be considered an act of domestic terrorism as well as a hate crime.
He noted that in 2023, CAIR’s Chicago office called for hate crime charges for the stabbing death of a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy and the stabbing of his mother.
Video: CAIR-Chicago Says Killing of 6-Year-Old Wadea Al Fayoume Resulted from ‘Atmosphere of Hate’
In 2024, a Texas woman reportedly attempted to drown a 3-year-old Palestinian-American Muslim child in a public pool in Dallas. Also in Texas, a Palestinian-American was stabbed in an allegedly bias-motivated attack.
SEE: CAIR-TX Welcomes Indictment in Attempted Drowning of Palestinian-American Muslim Child
Earlier this month, CAIR-FL called for the censure of Palm Bay City Councilman Chandler Langevin for his inflammatory and xenophobic anti-Muslim remarks, in which he claimed that Muslims “do not belong” in the United States.
Last year, CAIR-FL called for the Florida legislature to censure of state Rep. Randy Fine after he posted an anti-Muslim tweet celebrating the murder of Turkish-American human rights activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi and appeared to call for more killing.
Ruiz noted that from January to June 2024, CAIR documented 4,951 incoming bias complaints nationwide, a 69 percent increase over the same period in 2023.
SEE: New CAIR Data Shows Anti-Muslim, Anti-Palestinian Hate Remain Elevated in First Half of 2024
Last year, CAIR’s national office released its 2024 civil rights report, which revealed the highest number of complaints it has ever received in its 30-year history. Titled “Fatal: The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate,” the report documented 8,061 complaints. Nearly half of all complaints received in 2023 were reported in the final three months of the year.
CAIR-Florida’s mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR – Florida es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, proteger las libertades civiles, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, CAIR-Florida Communications Director, wruiz@cair.com, (305) 502-6749; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com