(NewsNation) — President Joe Biden is facing criticism from Muslim and Arab Americans across the country for his handling of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East, especially with the 2024 election approaching.
It could be a potential concern for the Biden administration, especially in Michigan, given it’s a pivotal swing state. Former President Donald Trump won it in 2016, while Biden narrowly secured it in 2020, thanks in part to the 35,000 Muslim and Arab voters. However, this support may waver, as some in this crucial voting bloc express feeling let down by Biden’s stance on Israel and Gaza bombing.
The outbreak of the conflict in Gaza has led to the loss of more than 5,000 civilians, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, which has prompted accusations of war crimes.
Adam Abusalah, a Palestinian American from Dearborn, Michigan, is one of the thousands of Arab Americans who voted for Biden in 2020 and was a fellow for the campaign, but he said he will not vote for Biden in 2024, and will instead leave his ticket blank in protest.
“As Arab Americans, as Muslim Americans, we are standing up and we’re saying you needed us to come to save you in a state like Michigan, a swing state, where Trump won by only 10,000 votes in 2016 and you asked us to support you, we came out, we voted for you, we supported you, 70% of us voted for you. But right now, like you needed us to save you in that election, we are going to save ourselves from you because you are sitting ideally by and watching our families and our community live in genocide and do nothing about it,” Abusalah said.
Many Muslim and Arab voters have relatives in Gaza enduring Israeli airstrikes, causing concern about the impact on innocent civilians. Lexis Zeidan, a Palestinian American from Detroit who supported Biden in 2020, does not plan to vote for him in the upcoming election due to these concerns.
“My first concern right now is a cease-fire and to end the genocide that’s happening. As a Palestinian American, to see my people being genocided in front of the world and not a single leader has done anything to stop these indiscriminate war crimes and the genocide the people of Palestine are facing,” Zeidan said.
The Biden administration has advised Israel to exercise caution to “not be blinded by rage” and to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza. Israel has stated its goal is to eradicate Hamas terrorists while minimizing civilian harm.
Given the heightened tensions across the nation and violent protests, both Jewish and Palestinian Americans have expressed concerns about potential hate crimes, like the recent stabbing of a 6-year-old boy and his mother in Illinois, who police said were targeted because they are Muslim.
Voters indicate that their dissatisfaction doesn’t necessarily translate to support for Trump in 2024; instead, many may choose to abstain from voting. This could pose a significant challenge when every vote counts in a swing state like Michigan.