Muslim Americans warn Biden, urge ceasefire in Gaza

If President Joe Biden doesn’t act quickly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, Muslim Americans and some Democratic Party activists say they will organise millions of Muslim voters to withhold donations and votes towards his 2024 reelection.

The National Muslim Democratic Council urged Biden to use his connections with Israel to mediate a ceasefire by Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET (2100 GMT). The council is made up of Democratic Party leaders from closely contested states like Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania that are likely to decide the election.

“2023 Ceasefire Ultimatum,” an open letter signed by prominent Muslim figures, promised to organise Muslim 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.

The organization’s founding co-chairs are former U.S. Representative Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress and the attorney general of Minnesota, and Representative Andre Carson of Indiana.

The letter is the most recent illustration of the growing rage and frustration among Arab and Muslim Americans over Biden’s refusal to denounce Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip in the wake of a Hamas attack from Gaza on October 7 that, according to Israeli officials, resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people and the kidnapping of 239 hostages.

On Monday, medical authorities in Gaza announced that Israel’s three-week-long air and ground assault had claimed 8,306 lives, 3,457 of them were children.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, declared on Monday that he would not consent to an end to the attacks on Gaza. According to John Kirby, the national security spokesperson for the United States, “Hamas is the only one that would gain from that right now.”

Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian American lawmaker from Michigan, criticised Joe Biden for his backing of “Israel’s genocidal campaign in Palestine” in a 90-second video that she posted on X, the social media platform that was formerly known as Twitter, and concluded with the words “Don’t count on our vote in 2024.”

Muslim votes could be critical for Biden in his 2024 run for a second term, according to Basim Elkarra, executive director of the Sacramento Valley Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Elkarra pointed out that Michigan’s 16 electoral votes were secured by a slim margin.

A similar cease-fire ultimatum was issued by Muslim Americans in Minnesota last week, with a deadline of noon on Tuesday. Biden is scheduled to visit the state on Wednesday. When the president comes to their state on Wednesday, they said, they will stage a protest.

The Biden reelection campaign did not respond right away.

A White House official stated that Biden hosted a meeting with a few Muslim leaders last Thursday and that administration representatives are still meeting with members of the Arab and Muslim communities who are unhappy with Biden’s handling of the situation.

Despite identifying as a Zionist, Biden has nominated more Muslims and Arab Americans to political positions than any other president, including the first two Muslim federal judges.

(With agency inputs)