Democratic divide over Israel war could spell trouble for Biden
- Protests against the war in Gaza have erupted across the country
- Supporters of Israel want the U.S. to continue to its support
- The division in the Democratic party could mean trouble for Biden in November
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(NewsNation) — As the campaign for the 2024 election continues to heat up, President Joe Biden is faced with criticism of how he’s handling the war in Gaza, putting him in a bind as he seeks reelection.
The issue of Israel’s war with Hamas doesn’t seem to be fading for Biden but instead seems to be getting worse. Over the weekend, Biden was greeted with protests outside of the Washington, D.C., dinner where he was speaking.
Protests have also spread to college campuses across the country, in some cases leading to confrontations with police attempting to break up the gatherings.
The war is dividing Biden’s own party, with views split over what role the U.S. should play.
On one side, there are those like the Democratic mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, Abdullah Hammoud, who recently turned down a meeting with the White House over Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
He’s the first Arab American, Muslim mayor of Dearborn. Michigan is home to the largest Arab-American and Muslim population in the U.S.
But while there is growing frustration, there are others who are standing by the president and expressing support for Israel.
Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman joined NewsNation’s “The Hill” on Sunday for an exclusive interview, where the staunch supporter of Israel backed the president’s position.
“I’m not going to give the president advice or anyone, only on fashion,” Fetterman told NewsNation’s Chris Stirewalt. “But I will say that it’s very clear there is a germ of antisemitism in all of these protests. Now of course it’s a great American value to protest, but I don’t believe living in a pup tent for Hamas is really helpful.”
It’s not just Democrats who are expressing frustration with Israel’s continued military action in the Gaza Strip, where more than 34,000 people have been killed and authorities say they are struggling to count the dead.
Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein was arrested at a pro-Palestine college protest over the weekend.
In Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, former President Donald Trump and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were separated by 77,000 votes in the 2016 presidential election.
Stein’s votes in those three states totaled 132,000 votes. If those who oppose America’s continued support for Israel turn to her, it could cut into Biden’s support and spell trouble for him this November.
