Muslim and Arab American groups with the power to affect election results in swing states are threatening to tank President Joe Biden’s re-election chances if he does not call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
The National Muslim Democratic Council, which includes Democratic Party leaders from swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio, promised in an open letter to Biden and Democratic leadership to withhold support from any candidate or politician that does not advocate for a ceasefire. Concerns that Biden and the administration have been too pro-Israel are growing as the president continues to pledge his support to Israel during their war with the terrorist organization Hamas. (RELATED: Biden Says It Would Be ‘Big Mistake’ For Israel To Occupy Gaza, Hamas Doesn’t Represent Palestinians)
“We pledge to mobilize Muslim, Arab, and allied voters to withhold endorsement, support, or votes for any candidate who did not advocate for a ceasefire and endorse[d] the Israeli offensive against the Palestinian people,” the letter reads. “We will mobilize increased voter turnout to make our voices heard. The State of Michigan, in the 2020 election, was decided by a mere 2.6 percent margin of victory and holds 16 crucial electoral votes. We emphasize the significance of Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, where many of our voters reside.”
“We call on the White House to urgently advocate for an immediate ceasefire,” the letter continues. “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.”
White House national security spokesman John Kirby has maintained that the United States believes a ceasefire would only benefit Hamas, though he said during a Tuesday briefing that the administration supports “pauses” in the fighting to allow for some Gazan civilians to evacuate.
While Muslim and Arab American groups threaten to withhold their votes from Biden, the president’s support among those groups is beginning to slip. Just 17 percent of Arab Americans say they will vote for Biden, compared to 59 percent of the community in 2020, according to an Arab American Institute poll.
“This is the most dramatic shift over the shortest period of time that I’ve ever seen,” James Zogby, the founder and president of the Arab American Institute, told Time.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2nR), confers with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (R), during their meeting with US President Joe Biden (L) at the start of the Israeli war cabinet meeting, in Tel Aviv on October 18, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (Photo by MIRIAM ALSTER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Some of Biden’s closest allies are warning that the president may have tied himself too closely to Israel, leaving the United States to bear responsibility for how the country carries out its war. Democratic Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal is worried that the president’s response to the Israel-Hamas war could cost the president votes.
Young members of the Democratic Party are also threatening to withhold their votes from Biden over his support for Israel, with a 28-year-old woman at a pro-Palestine protest telling The New York Times that she feels “betrayed” by the president.