San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson announced Wednesday that Human Relations Commissioner Khaliq Raufi had resigned over his antisemitic comments during an official meeting last week.
“Commissioner Raufi’s ignorant comments were hurtful and in no way reflect my personal views, but they do highlight the urgent need to focus on education, bridge building, and to advocate for tolerance,” said Anderson, who appointed Raufi. “After meeting with Commissioner Raufi, I have received his resignation letter.”
Raufi said during a meeting on July 18 that he had read “a few verses” in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy — he called it “the book of Jews” — and concluded that “it states go kill Palestinians.” He claimed this is currently taught in synagogues.
“Are you serious?” exclaimed someone in attendance during the meeting.
Deuteronomy recounts the Jews wandering in the desert after fleeing Egypt and their ultimate entry into the promised land of Israel millennia ago.
Raufi’s comments were reported as a “hate incident” to California’s new CA vs. Hate hotline.
Anderson called it “deeply offensive to quote the religious texts from other’s faiths to support any political or intolerant narrative” but added that he believed Raufi’s comments “came from a place of ignorance but without malice.”
He said he encouraged Raufi to pursue further conversation to “learn from this moment and build a bridge of understanding and tolerance with the Jewish community.”
Raufi is an Afghan refugee who arrived in the United States in 1992 and later assusted the U.S. Marines in his native country.
The county’s 31-member Human Relations Comission is intended to promote positive human relations, respect, and the integrity of every individual regardless of gender, religion, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, or citizenship status.