Last Saturday evening, three students of Palestinian origin were attacked in the state of Vermont in the United States. The incident was reported to the Burlington police the following day. The students were found injured at the scene.
The Injuries
According to the US police, two of the students were shot in the torso, while the third was injured in the lower half of their body. Two of them are in stable condition, but the third student has more serious injuries.
Hate Crime
The authorities suspect that the attack was motivated by hate. They believe that the gunman targeted the students because of their Palestinian background. The families of the victims and an organization called the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee are urging the authorities to investigate the incident as a hate crime.
Who Are the Victims?
The victims are Hisham Awartani, who attends Brown University in Rhode Island, Kenan Abdel Hamid, who goes to Haverford University in Pennsylvania, and Tahseen Ahmed, a student at Trinity University in Connecticut. They all studied together at Friends High School in Ramallah before going to university. Two of them were visiting the third student's family for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Call to Stop Hate Crimes
The head of the Palestine mission in the United Kingdom, Ambassador Hossam Zomlot, stated that the students were targeted because they were wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh, a traditional scarf. He emphasized the need to put an end to hate crimes against Palestinians.
Previous Incidents
In October, a Palestinian child and his mother were victims of a hate crime in the state of Ilioni. The police accused a 71-year-old man of targeting them because of their Islamic faith. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrator(s).
Condemnation and Call for Action
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the shooting and called on American authorities to swiftly arrest the criminal, conduct a thorough investigation, and hold the perpetrator accountable.
Source: Agencies
