Mohammad Hammad owns a hookah lounge in Temple Terrace the place folks come each day to smoke, discuss and watch Center East information on massive screens principally tuned to Al Jazeera.
“It is a place the place we socialize,” mentioned Hammad, a Palestinian American who immigrated to america in 2005. “We’re all pals, we’re like a household.”
However quickly after the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel, Hammad mentioned an anti-Palestinian protester alongside E Fowler Avenue close to the College of South Florida alerted him that he knew he owned a hookah lounge and vowed, “You will notice!”
The subsequent day, nameless customers posted unfavourable feedback on Google in regards to the lounge, the 1948 Cafe. “The kitchen is soiled and smelled like a sewer. By no means coming once more.” “Kitchen with mice and cockroaches.” “Dangerous place, not beneficial in any respect. The kitchen is soiled, and the angle is so dangerous.”
Hammad, 33, mentioned he scrambled to reply. In lower than a day, he acquired 500 pals and prospects to submit optimistic on-line feedback that disputed the faux evaluations. Google promptly eliminated the unfavourable and good evaluations.
“In case you suppose leaving a evaluate about my enterprise goes to make me cease supporting my nation, you’re completely fallacious,” mentioned Hammad.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/FNASGDYRM5C37DVMPPULAKY6BQ.JPG "Khalil Hammad (L) listens to his friend Mohammad Hammad, owner of the 1948 Cafe talk to another friend off camera on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023 in Tampa.")
Greater than 1,400 folks have been killed in Israel, most of them civilians, and over 200 hostages seized within the preliminary Hamas assault on Oct. 7. The Hamas-run Well being Ministry in Gaza reported that 7,028 Palestinians, together with 2,913 minors, have died.
From 6,600 miles away, the battle is felt intensely amongst Hammad and different Palestinian-American enterprise house owners interviewed by the Tampa Bay Instances. Amidst concern and uncertainty, they mentioned they fear about what’s to come back in a political atmosphere that they describe as rising much less tolerant of their small numbers in Florida and dismissive of their homeland in Gaza.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there are 10,000 Palestinians in Florida, a 0.05% slice of the state inhabitants that’s been thrust into the highlight by elected leaders. Earlier this month, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Gaza refugees should be refused entry into the U.S. as a result of they’re all antisemitic, an accusation that some say fueled violence towards Palestinians right here. Final week, DeSantis directed Florida universities to disband campus chapters of a pro-Palestinian group that he mentioned had been aligned in assist of terrorists. Supporters of the group mentioned the order violated their free speech rights.
Nationwide, the Council on American-Islamic Relations reported 774 complaints since Oct. 7, the very best spike in practically eight years, whereas the Anti-Defamation League mentioned at the very least 312 antisemitic incidents have been reported, together with harassment, vandalism, and assault.
In Hillsborough County, native police mentioned they aren’t seeing a rise in crimes directed at both group, in accordance with sheriff’s spokesperson Jessica Lang. Tampa Police spokesperson Verliz Williams mentioned October’s numbers haven’t been up to date but. Nonetheless, between January and September, there have been zero hate crimes reported, Williams mentioned.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/33SVAAOC3JBAZPW37AVCYDWMFA.jpg "Khalid Zayed.")
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Khalid Zayed, 45, who owns a barber store in Tampa known as Palestine Worldwide Barber, mentioned he feels the ache for the folks within the Palestinian territories and is grappling with the disaster.
“I’m attempting to dwell my regular life,” he mentioned. “However it’s troublesome as a result of I’m a deep thinker.”
Noor Toukhly-Chehab manages an energetic Sunday program with greater than 20 Palestinian kids out of 75, ages 6 to 18. She mentioned that amongst her kids, she’s perceived a mixture of feelings amid mounting anti-Muslim sentiment that she blamed on biased media protection.
“I’ve witnessed the persistent bullying and discrimination confronted by Palestinians escalating simply prior to now two weeks,” mentioned Toukhly-Chehab, 44. “Our group is now working collectively on discovering counseling sources and wellness classes to lots of our youngsters.”
Because the Israel-Hamas battle has escalated, a whole bunch of Palestinian People and supporters have marched within the streets of downtown Tampa and Temple Terrace. Amongst them was Khalil Hammad, 38, a Palestinian American investor. He mentioned that whereas the battle isn’t having a significant impression on his enterprise, it’s on him.
“What we’ve noticed takes a considerable toll on us mentally and distracts us from work,” he mentioned. “I do know many Palestinian American enterprise house owners who’re at the moment trapped in Palestine because of the blockade. The state of affairs stays unsure and so they can’t return to their companies.”
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/7CJVZ4R47JE6RDGK76WM6G3HAU.jpg "Ghadir Irshaid participates during a pro-Palestinian protest near the intersection of East Fowler Avenue and North 56th Street on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Temple Terrace.")
Ghadir Irshaid, 48, a Palestinian American enterprise proprietor who sells medical providers in Central Florida, mentioned she has been cautious to not carry the battle up at work.
“It’s so onerous to navigate by way of the questions at occasions,” Irshaid mentioned. “I don’t need to lose the enterprise. However within the meantime, I’m a Palestinian.”
