WASHINGTON: Many Muslim and Arab American organizations are pressurizing on US President Joe Biden by threatening to withhold votes and funds for his reelection in 2024 if prompt action is not taken to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.
The National Muslim Democratic Council, a coalition of Democratic Party leaders from key states such as Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, has urged President Biden to use his diplomatic leverage with Israel to facilitate a ceasefire by 5 pm Eastern Time (2100 GMT).
In an open letter entitled “2023 Ceasefire Ultimatum”, Muslim leaders pledged to mobilize “Muslim, Arab, and allied voters” to “withhold endorsement, support, or votes for any candidate who endorses the Israeli offensive against the Palestinian people.”
“Your administration’s unconditional support, encompassing funding and armaments, has played a significant role in perpetuating the violence that is causing civilian casualties and has eroded trust in voters who previously put their faith in you,” the council wrote.
Emgage, a civic group representing American Muslims, disclosed that approximately 1.1 million Muslims participated in the 2020 election, with 64% supporting President Biden and 35% favoring his Republican opponent, Donald Trump, as per Associated Press exit polls. The Arab American Institute reported a notable decline in support for Biden and Democrats among the estimated 3.7 million Americans with roots in Arab countries.
In response to growing concerns within the community and his administration, President Biden met with a select group of Muslim leaders last Thursday, as confirmed by an official from the White House.
While White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre refrained from commenting on a recent poll, she acknowledged that President Biden is attentive to the challenges faced by American Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim, and he respects their viewpoints.
The Biden administration has been actively engaging with members of the Arab and Muslim communities, as well as Jewish leaders and political appointees, to address a range of concerns.
Muslim leaders maintain that an end to the conflict is necessary, even despite Biden’s denunciation of the rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia. The executive director of Minnesota’s Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Jaylani Hussein, declared that he would vote against Biden in 2024 unless measures were taken to put an end to the fighting. He made it clear that he was speaking for himself and not CAIR.
Local pro-Palestinian organizations in Minneapolis have planned a demonstration on Wednesday during Biden’s visit to Minnesota to express their displeasure with the lack of international criticism for Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The American Muslim and Arab communities are disappointed that Biden has not criticized Israel for its conduct in response to an attack on October 7 by Hamas militants in Palestine. While acknowledging Israel’s right to defend its residents, Biden calls for the safety of defenseless Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Since October 7, 8,525 casualties—including 3,542 children—have been reported by Gaza health authorities, and U.N. officials have noted that nearly 1.4 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million civilian population have been homeless.
American national security spokesperson John Kirby claims that Hamas stands to benefit from a ceasefire, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects any call to stop attacks on Gaza.
Legislator Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American from Michigan, expressed disapproval of Biden’s backing for “Israel’s genocidal campaign in Palestine” in a video she published, and she suggested that she might not support him in the 2024 elections. In 2020, Michigan’s sixteen Electoral College votes were barely won by Biden by 2.8 percentage points.
