Muslim Americans have been gradually souring on President Joe Biden since the war between Israel and Hamas kicked off in October. But now, there appears to be a surge in resentment toward the president over his seeming support of Israel.
The impetus behind this development is the $26 billion aid to Israel package passed by the House. The Senate is expected to pass the bill as well, and Biden is likely to sign it into law, an issue that has alienated many Muslims from the president they used to support.
“Outraged,” “point of no return” and “absolute disaster” are how some Muslim American organizers have described their reactions to an aid package for Israel that is making its way through Congress for President Joe Biden to sign into law.
Many Muslim Americans were already furious with the Biden administration over its handling of the Israel-Hamas war, with activists organizing Democrats to vote “uncommitted” rather than support the president in some state primaries this year.
For several activists and leaders of prominent Muslim American organizations, Biden’s support for $26 billion in aid for Israel reaffirms their view about November’s election: They cannot back Biden for a second term.
The report notes that in the days leading up to the vote on Israel aidd, “Muslim American organizations urged voters to contact members of Congress to demand they vote against the aid.”
Robert McCaw, government affairs director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) asserted that if Biden signs the bill, “that heartless decision could mark the point of no return for what remains of the White House’s relationship with the American Muslim community and other Americans opposed to the genocide in Gaza.”
He continued, noting that the Biden administration “is already at its lowest point in its relationship with the American Muslim community.”
Osama Abu Irshaid, executive director for Americans for Justice in Palestine Action, indicated that the broken ties between Biden and the Muslim community cannot be fixed “unless the president can undo what has been done for the past six months in Gaza.”
He indicated that he voted for Biden in 2020 but will not vote for either Biden or former President Donald Trump in '24.
As early as October last year, Muslim attitudes toward the president began to sour.
Call it a stopped-clock moment or a remnant of the old left remaining, but that tension is now leading to an open revolt of Muslims against the Democratic Party.
“What’s happening is betrayal,” Abdel Salam told HuffPost. “Betrayal of what we assumed was a promise and commitment to listen to us, at the very least.”
Abdel Salam is one of a growing number of Muslim and Arab voters who say they are frustrated with the Democratic Party, and are vowing not to cast their votes for Biden in 2024. Muslim and Arab organizers said they cannot in good faith encourage their communities to support Biden’s reelection, and some say they won’t vote for any down-ballot Democrats either. Muslim organizers and advocacy groups have signed petitions, written letters and taken to social media to announce their disapproval of the president’s Israel strategy.
Muslim voters in swing states have organized a campaign to ensure that Biden loses the upcoming election to punish Democrats for supporting Israel.
The question is: How much will this harm President Biden’s chances of winning a second term in the White House?
So far, it is not quite clear, but there is no doubt that this shift in attitudes toward the president could be an issue. However, it is likely that most Muslims who no longer support Biden will stay home rather than vote for Trump, as Irshaid indicated. This could impede the president’s efforts to win key victories in swing states.
Given that the polling shows Biden and Trump in a dead heat, the drop in support among Muslims could spell disaster for the president’s campaign unless he is able to somehow rekindle the relationship.