Aiexpress – A scheduled meeting between the Biden campaign and Arab and Muslim leaders in Dearborn faced cancellation on Friday. This decision came after members of the community expressed their objections regarding President Joe Biden’s stance on Israel, particularly in light of the ongoing deadly attacks in Gaza.
Assad Turfe, who was in charge of organizing the meeting, decided to cancel it “in the best interest of the community.”
According to Turfe, the deputy county executive of Wayne County, the community expressed a lot of outrage and as they became aware of the meeting, leading to the ultimate decision to cancel it.
Before, many Democratic Arab American leaders had declined offers from the campaign, but now they are open to supporting the president if a ceasefire is backed.
According to Turfe, it seems highly unlikely that the Arab American and Muslim community can be won over at this point unless there is a significant change or development. The purpose of the meeting was to explore the possibility of gaining their support, but it appears that the efforts have been unsuccessful.
The community’s overall sentiment is that they are not welcome here until a ceasefire is established.
Campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez was scheduled to meet with a group of Arab American leaders, elected officials, and representatives from community organizations. The sit-down was expected to include up to 15 participants from the Arab American community.
During his listening tour, President Biden had a meeting with the Arab American and Muslim communities. This meeting was requested in response to the growing dissatisfaction within these communities regarding the handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The shocking death toll of approximately 26,000 Palestinians after the Hamas terror attack on October 7th in Israel, which claimed the lives of around 1,200 people, has caused significant concern.
The cancellation occurred following an order from the World Court for Israel to take measures to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians and provide greater assistance to civilians. It is important to note that the court did not mandate a ceasefire.
Michigan’s Democratic Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has recently warned that if and when President Biden visits her state, he could potentially face pro-Palestinian protests. With Michigan being home to approximately 300,000 Arab Americans, the governor is highlighting the strong support for the Palestinian cause within the community.
