On Thursday, President Joe Biden is dispatching senior aides to Michigan for a meeting with Arab American and Muslim leaders.
This move comes as dissatisfaction grows within this key constituency in the 2024 battleground state over the administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Some community leaders, invited to the meeting, express their readiness to directly present their case to top Biden aides. They aim to urge the administration to use its influence on Israel to push for an immediate cease-fire and facilitate increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Representative Alabas Farhat of Michigan stated, “I’m going into that room and making it clear that the frustrations are that a cease-fire needs to be called and there needs to be an unconditional release of the hostages.”
The meeting provides an opportunity for the administration to repair connections with a community that plays a significant role in determining the president’s success in securing a crucial swing in his re-election bid.
Since the commencement of the war on October 7, Biden has encountered strong criticism from the state’s sizable Arab American and Muslim population. Some activists have gone as far as urging community members not to vote for the Democrat in November.
Osama Siblani, the publisher of the Dearborn, Michigan-based Arab American News, told that, “I’m for the dialogue and I believe we owe it to our country, to our community, and to the people in Gaza, to listen and be heard.” Siblani declared that he intended to attend the White House-invited event.
Samantha Power, the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, along with Jon Finer, the principal deputy national security adviser, and Steven Benjamin, the director of the Office of Public Engagement, are among the administration officials heading to Michigan, according to a White House official.
Those who discussed the plans were not authorized to speak publicly and shared information on the condition of anonymity. No specifics about the expected attendees from the community were provided by the officials.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did not confirm the details of the Michigan meeting but mentioned that the administration has consistently engaged in outreach efforts to U.S. communities affected by the war.
Others anticipated at the meeting include Tom Perez, who heads the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Mazen Basrawi, the White House liaison to American Muslim communities, and aides Jamie Citron and Dan Koh.
Last month, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden’s campaign manager, and other campaign aides visited suburban Detroit but faced reluctance from several community leaders to meet with them.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the president’s handling of the war, some community activists have gone a step further, forming a group called “Abandon Biden” to discourage voter support for the president in November.
Siblani, the newspaper publisher, was among the few Arab American leaders who met with Rodriguez during her late January visit to Dearborn. At that time, he emphasized to AP the importance of her effort to come to the community and listen.
Farhat anticipates Thursday’s meeting to be the first in a series, establishing “a new channel being opened up directly to the White House.” While a positive step, Farhat emphasizes that these meetings are not a substitute for a cease-fire or policy change.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., a longtime resident of Dearborn and a close ally of Biden, believes these meetings signify significant progress.
Many in the community are upset that Biden has not called for a permanent cease-fire in the 4-month-old war that has claimed over 27,000 lives in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory.
Israel initiated its military operation in response to Hamas launching attacks on Oct. 7, resulting in about 1,200 casualties in Israel. Over 240 individuals in Israel were captured and taken into Gaza, with over 100 believed to still be in captivity, according to U.S. officials.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Tel Aviv as part of a Mideast trip focused on advancing negotiations facilitated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar for a prolonged pause in fighting in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages. U.S. officials see such a deal as a potential path to ending the war.
Last week, Biden visited union workers in Michigan. Members of the Muslim and Arab American communities were not consulted by him. Dozens of pro-Palestinian protestors demonstrated in front of the UAW Region 1 facility in Warren, voicing their displeasure, while Biden spoke with the United Auto Workers.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud stated during that visit that the White House had not yet had “a meaningful conversation for how you change course.”
