Go Nakamura/Reuters
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced he will give schools material to combat prejudice against Jews.
- The move comes amid heightened concerns about antisemitism stemming from the Israel-Hamas war.
- It's too early to tell if hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim people have risen, but hate crimes did increase in the US last year.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is encouraging schools to use curriculum resources from the state about the war between Israel and Hamas.
Abbott said in a statement that the resources will "supplement the current comprehensive approach to teaching world studies in Texas."
"The State of Texas stands strong with Israel and our Jewish neighbors during the heinous acts of war committed by the terrorist group Hamas, and we will not allow misinformation and prejudice to undermine the support the Jewish community needs during this time of conflict," Abbott said in the statement.
Some of the resources included in the material are a guide to "conscientious conversations" on the Israel-Palestine conflict from the Anti-Defamation League for kids grades six through twelve and a guide for parents about talking to kids about violence from Common Sense Media, an education nonprofit.
Hamas launched unprecedented attacks in Israel, near the country's border with Gaza, on October 7, killing at least 1,400 Israelis and taking more than 200 back to Gaza as hostages.
In retaliation, Israel declared a state of war against Hamas and has carried out air strikes that have killed more than 3,000 Palestinians. Israel is also believed to be planning an imminent ground invasion of Gaza.
Recent attacks such as the stabbing of a six-year-old Muslim boy in Illinois and vandalism at various synagogues have prompted concern that crimes against the Jewish and Muslim community could rise in the US, which is typical following major conflicts in the Middle East, according to The Associated Press.
It's too early to tell if hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim people have risen since the outbreak of war, but hate crimes did generally increase in the United States last year, the outlet reported.
Anti-Jewish crimes were the second most reported hate crime in 2022 with 1,124 incidents, while there were 158 incidents of anti-Muslim attacks and 92 incidents of anti-Arab attacks, the FBI's annual report.
The Jewish Federations of North America, which represents 400 Jewish groups in the US, previously told Insider there are "no known credible threats to the US Jewish community," but it is still recommending Jewish facilities to enforce security protocols and coordinate with law enforcement for security.
The Anti-Defamation League said fighting between Israel and Hamas contributed to a 34% rise in antisemitic incidents in the US in 2021, Insider previously reported. Israel and Gaza militants fought an 11-day war that year, which resulted in the death of more than 240 Palestinians and a dozen Israelis.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement at the time that there is always "a rise in antisemitic activity during periods of increased hostilities between Israel and terrorist groups."