More than 20 Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim leaders in Chicago are refusing to meet with White House officials ahead of the state’s primary next week. 

The leaders say they are protesting the meeting over the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. The White House planned to garner support in Illinois for Biden after over 100,000 Democrats voted “uncommitted” in nearby Michigan’s primary. The Chicago area is home to the largest Palestinian American population in the country. 

State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, the only Palestinian American in any government position in Illinois, said he is declining the meeting because “really there isn’t much more to be said.”

“There have been many meetings and conversations since October with the White House,” Rashid said. “And the reality is our position is extremely clear that there needs to be a permanent cease-fire and we need our country to stop providing arms to Israel.”

He added that the decision to decline to meet with White House officials should send a message that they “ought to listen to the American people, who overwhelmingly support a cease-fire.” The White House planned to hold the meeting to hear community concerns about the Israel-Hamas war and Islamophobia. 

Rashid did not confirm or deny if he was voting for Biden in the primary but said that he was “voting only for Democrats as I always have.” Community leaders are pushing voters who want to boycott voting for Biden to write in “Gaza” or leave the presidential ticket blank.

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In a letter obtained by the Sun-Times, the leaders said a “meeting of the minds is nowhere in sight” as the United States continues to fund Israel and blocked votes in the United Nations calling for a ceasefire. 

Chicago will welcome many prominent Democrats and the Biden campaign team when it hosts the Democratic National Convention in August.