White House Condemns CAIR Leader’s ‘Shocking’ Comments About Being ‘Happy’ About Oct. 7 Attack

The White House strongly condemned what it called the “shocking, anti-Semitic” rhetoric of Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

At a speech to American Muslims for Palestine Convention that was posted to X (formerly Twitter), Awad said he was “happy” to see the events of Oct. 7, in which Hamas terrorists brutally killed at least 1.200 Israeli civilians and kidnapped hundreds of others. Awad declared that “the people of Gaza have the right to self-defense,” while Israel “does not have that right.”

In a statement emailed to Mediaite on Thursday, White House senior communications advisor Andrew Bates wrote:

We condemn these shocking, Antisemitic statements in the strongest terms. The horrific, brutal terrorist attacks committed by Hamas on October 7th were, as President Biden said, “abhorrent” and represent “unadulterated evil.” October 7th was the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust. The atrocities of that day shock the conscience, which is why we can never forget the pain Hamas has caused for so many innocent people There are families who are in agony mourning love[d] ones, and there are also families in agony as they do everything in their power to free loved ones being held hostage. Every leader has a responsibility to call out Antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head.

Shortly after the Oct. 7 attack, Israel declared war on Hamas and has been working to destroy the terror network. The military campaign has led aid groups to declare a humanitarian crisis throughout the region.