Several attendees withdrew from US President Biden’s Ramadan Iftar at the White House in protest against US support for the Israeli war on Gaza, highlighting challenges Biden faces ahead of the presidential election.
A Ramadan iftar hosted by US President Joe Biden at the White House was marked by the withdrawal of several attendees in protest against US support for the Israeli war on Gaza, Al-Jazeera revealed, citing informed sources.
Among those protesting was Dr. Thaer Ahmed, who returned from Gaza, and who reportedly told Biden that he could not stay on this occasion while Palestinians are being killed by Israel in the war-torn Strip.
According to the sources, Dr. Ahmed conveyed a message from a displaced Palestinian child, Hadeel al-Najjar, who lost her family in the war.
Al-Jazeera obtained the text of the girl’s letter, which was delivered to Biden and US Vice President Kamala Harris.
This is Hadeel, 8 years old from Gaza.
she wrote a letter to @POTUS begging him to stop the war and the imminent invasion of Rafah.
The letter was delivered by Dr. Thaer Ahmed who walked away from the Dinner event last night with Biden. https://t.co/d7BgziR9HI pic.twitter.com/vohYfUKgzU
— Abier (@abierkhatib) April 3, 2024
In the note, Hadeel spoke about the killing of her family, the continued displacement and her fear of an imminent Israeli invasion in Rafah.
Dr. Thaer reportedly emphasized the importance of the Arab and Muslim community in the United States in countering propaganda and highlighting the humanitarian aspect of the Palestinian issue.
Dr. Thaer, who is a member of the international organization MedGlobal, which provides emergency medical response to crises around the world, also said that he and his colleagues will return to Gaza at the end of April to support medical teams working in the Strip.
Declining Ramadan Invitation
The Washington Post reported that a group of six Muslim leaders declined the invitation for iftar and invitees to the iftar and “expressed the preference” of a policy meeting, in the words of White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
According to the Post, the group “rejected such a gathering as inappropriate given the administration’s continued support of Israel amid devastation in the territory.”
This is the Palestinian American doctor who told off Biden, Harris & other admin officials earlier this evening and walked out on them in protest – Dr. Thaer Ahmed. https://t.co/cR6RVCBbq3
— Sana Saeed (@SanaSaeed) April 3, 2024
The paper noted how “the leaders’ refusal to have a dinner at the White House underscores the significant challenges Biden faces with the Arab American and Muslim communities seven months before the presidential election.”
Abandon Biden
As the US Presidential election looms less than a year away, Joe Biden’s bid for reelection faces a significant challenge from Muslim and Arab American voters who feel disillusioned by the current administration’s stance on key issues.
In early December, leaders within the Muslim-American community launched the #AbandonBiden campaign, aimed at holding the President accountable for what they perceive as his failure to address the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
As momentum behind the campaign grew, prominent figures in the Muslim and Arab American communities publicly voiced their opposition to supporting the Democratic Party candidate, despite the potential accusation that such a decision could indirectly contribute to a victory for former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
#AbandonBiden: Will Gaza Be the Deciding Factor in US Elections?
In a country with approximately 3.7 million Arab citizens, according to data from the Arab American Institute, this minority group could wield significant influence in the upcoming election, potentially impacting Joe Biden’s campaign.
Notably, Biden clinched victory in Michigan by a narrow margin of 150,000 votes during the 2020 Presidential election.
This time, there are over 206,000 registered Muslim-American voters in Michigan, many of whom supported the Democratic Party in the previous election.
Additionally, Arab American leaders have been actively engaging with people from diverse backgrounds, advocating for a collective stance against Biden to hold him accountable for his perceived inaction regarding the situation in Gaza. Their efforts could further sway public opinion and potentially alter the electoral landscape.
(PC, AJA)
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