(DCWatchdog.com) – Expressions of “outrage,” a “point of no return,” and an “absolute disaster” capture the sentiments of numerous Muslim American leaders over a proposed financial aid package for US ally Israel that is currently advancing through Congress on President Joe Biden’s watch, a report informs.
This development has significantly intensified the dissatisfaction among many in the Muslim American community towards the Biden administration, particularly due to its approach toward Israel’s defense against Hamas, the Palestinian Arab Islamist terrorist organization, in the Gaza Strip.
This has led to concerted efforts by activists within the community to mobilize Democrats to express their protest by voting “uncommitted” in certain state primaries, as a means of withholding support for the president, NBC News writes in a report.
The decision by President Biden to back a $26 billion aid package for Israel has solidified the stance of several key figures and organizations within the Muslim American community against endorsing Biden for a subsequent term in office.
In anticipation of the House’s decision, which ultimately favored the aid package with a vote of 366-58, various Muslim American groups actively encouraged voters to persuade Congress members to oppose the aid.
Despite their efforts, the package received overwhelming support, with opposition coming from both Democrats and Republicans.
Robert McCaw, the director of government affairs at the Council on American-Islamic Relations, articulated a stark warning that President Biden’s potential approval of this aid package might irreversibly damage the already strained relations between the White House and the American Muslim community, as well as others who stand against Israel’s offense against Hamas in Gaza.
“The administration is already at its lowest point in its relationship with the American Muslim community.”
For some, like Osama Abu Irshaid of Americans for Justice in Palestine Action, the breach in relations appears beyond repair unless the President can reverse the effects of the past six months’ actions in Gaza – since Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack, which massacred over 1,400 Israelis and foreigners.
Despite previously voting for Biden, Abu Irshaid has decided not to support either Biden or former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
As the aid package progresses to the Senate, it represents a significant increase in U.S. support for Israel, amid growing critiques from Democrat lawmakers about arms support to the country.
Efforts are being made by some, including Rep. Pramila Jayapal, to halt the immediate dispatch of further weaponry to Israel as part of the aid.
President Biden has expressed his support for the House’s decision and has called on the Senate to expedite the process so he can enact the package.
He emphasized that the package aims to provide essential support not only to Israel and Ukraine but also to offer humanitarian aid to regions like Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and others affected by conflicts and natural disasters, alongside enhancing security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
In a closely contested political landscape, the discontentment stemming from Biden’s management of the Israel-Hamas war could play a critical role in swing states—a fact underscored by Biden’s narrow victories in states like Michigan and Arizona, which have significant Arab American populations.
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