Khaliq Raufi

Overview

Khaliq Raufi claimed the Bible instructs Jews to “kill Palestinians” while speaking as a commissioner on the San Diego County Human Relations Commission (HRC) in July 2023. Raufi has also spread anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel on social media.

Raufi served [p. 14] as an HRC board member from May 2, 2023 [p. 3], through July 25, 2023, when he resigned following controversy over his anti-Semitic statements. 

As of June 2023, Raufi’s HRC bio said [p. 14] he was a founding member of the Afghan Community Islamic Center (ACIC), where he served as a member of its executive board of directors. The HRC bio also claimed [p. 14] he served “in a civilian capacity with the United States Marine Corps as a Senior Advisor and Subject Matter Expert (SME).”

As of August 2023, Raufi’s LinkedIn profile said he studied for a master’s degree in diplomacy in international conflict management at Norwich University (Norwich) in Northfield, Vermont. His Facebook said he studied “International Relation” [sic] at the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego).  

As of August 2023, Raufi’s LinkedIn said he was located in Valley Center, California.

July 18, 2023 - Spreading Anti-Semitism at an HRC Meeting

During a July 18, 2023 HRC meeting, Raufi said [00:52:31]: “...that book of Jews…I read a few verses. I'm actually referring to the…Deuteronomy that states: ‘Go kill Palestinian! Wipe them all out!’ So it's a teaching that they, on daily basis, teach their followers in their synagogues. So, how are we going to resolve that?”

Another person at the meeting interrupted [00:52:53] Raufi and asked him: “Are you serious right now?”

Raufi replied [00:52:57] to her: “Deuteronomy 26 and I'm reading it for you: ‘God's command that every living person in Canaan be put to death. As people conquer the land no mercy for those woman and children…no compassion.’...So, those are the information out there that states in Deuteronomy and I'm not quite sure. I'm just stunned by reading. So, how are we gonna resolve it?”

Deuteronomy 26 makes no mention of any statements claimed by Raufi. 

Raufi’s statements were reportedly reported as a “hate incident” to California’s CA vs Hate Resource Line and Network. A hate incident is a term “generally used to describe hateful acts that don’t rise to the level of a hate crime.” 

On July 25, 2023, Raufi officially resigned from his position as an HRC commissioner. In his resignation letter, he claimed: “I no longer feel the Human Relations Commission is a safe space for people to freely express their beliefs and engage in community building.”

Raufi continued in his letter: “...my decision to resign is motivated solely by my desire to align my actions with my beliefs and values…I hope that [the HRC] will continue to evolve into a more inclusive and supportive space for all.” 

Anti-Semitism and Hatred of Israel

On June 16, 2021, Raufi posted on Facebook: “How much evidence are needed for the Americans to believe that the barbaric killing by the Jews Nazis Gangsters take place in daily basis in Palestinian [sic]?”

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) highlights as one possible contemporary example of anti-Semitism: “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.” The U.S. State Department adopted the IHRA’s working definition of anti-Semitism in 2016. Over 40 countries have adopted the definition as well.

On June 8, 2021, Raufi posted on Facebook: “What type of evidence the 90% American politicians and its talk show media needs to see the reality of Jews Apartheid Gangsters action for ethnic cleansing?”

On June 1, 2021, Raufi posted on Facebook: “90% of US Congress and the House Representatives in dominated Jewish owned media claim that the Apartheid and ethnic cleansing Jews gangsters have the right to defend themselves, but do the Palestinians have the right to survive in their own homeland?”

The assertion that Jews control the media has been traced to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, an anti-Semitic fabricated text that depicts wealthy Jews conspiring to take over the world. 

Also on June 1, 2021, Raufi posted on Facebook: “That is the best for all. No more barbaric gangsters Jews.” 

Raufi attached a Facebook post promoting the book: “Decolonizing Israel, Liberating Palestine: Zionism, Settler Colonialism, and the Case for One Democratic State.” The post claimed that Israel “endeavored to Judaize Palestine” and called for the “replacement of Israel.”

Zionism is the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination in their own national home, and the right to develop their national culture.

On May 25, 2021, Raufi posted an image of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shaking hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Raufi wrote in the post: “Blinken Meets the Apartheid leader Netanyahu probably congratulate him for killing Palestinians.”

Raufi wrote his post four days after the end of Israel’s Operation Guardian of the Walls (OGW) against terrorists in Gaza.

In May 2021, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists fired over 4,300 rockets from Gaza at major population centers in Israel. Israel responded by launching OGW, carrying out targeted military strikes in Gaza.

Social Media and Web Links

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/khaliq.raufi          

Twitter:https://twitter.com/KhaliqRaufi                            

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaliq-raufi-421aba48/