Biden is out of the presidential race and Harris could be in, but though her campaign has seen immense support raising a record-breaking $81 million in the first 24 hours since her candidacy began not all Democrats are rallying behind her.
The past nine months have seen continued attacks on Gaza, which have sparked unrest around the world, including over hundreds of thousands protesting worldwide, at least 80 pro-Palestine student encampments on college campuses, and increased pressure on celebrities and politicians to demand a ceasefire. As we move towards the election, Arab Americans, especially in key swing states, like Michigan and Minnesota, that could influence who becomes the next U.S. president, want to see Harris align with Palestinians.
While many people rejoiced in the change in direction, others took to Twitter Sunday to voice their stance on Harris as the potential Democratic nominee.
“Will not be even considering voting for Kamala without clear, strong, and immediate commitments to end the genocide in Gaza, in line with the uncommitted movement” Twitter user @JacobWebsite wrote on Sunday.
The Oct. 7 Hamas attacks launched Israel’s war on Gaza to the forefront of global headlines, with many Americans taking issue with the U.S.’ hand in funding it. Israel has been the largest recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II, with the Council on Foreign Relations reporting in May that the U.S. has provided $12.5 billion in military aid to Israel since Oct. 7 alone. Since the war began, Gaza’s Health Ministry estimates over 39,000 Palestinians have been killed and 89,800 wounded, according to the Associated Press.
Arab Americans have led the movement towards a call for a ceasefire. In February, the Uncommitted Movement, launched a campaign in Michigan to mark “uncommitted” on Democratic primary ballots as a means to voice their message to Biden for an immediate ceasefire and end to military aid to Israel. In March, the Nation reported that over 370,000 “uncommitted” votes had been cast in U.S. primaries and caucuses, gaining at least 20 delegates.
The anonymous @dear_white_staffers account on Instagram has been instrumental in exposing the internal divide between Capitol Hill staffers, assisting in organizing staff walkouts in November by connecting staff members to each other, Reckon reported in Nov. They say that Uncommitted has the power to influence Harris’ campaign and the upcoming election.
“The Uncommitted movement has already shown that there are at least 730k Uncommitted voters nationally, which reflects only a short list of states. By that measure, there are several thousand more across the country. The Uncommitted movement has delivered a powerful message and meaningful instructions to candidates listening: We just want a humane Gaza policy,” they told Reckon.
In an interview with Democracy Now on Tuesday, Waleed Shahid, democratic strategist and advisor to the Uncommitted campaign said that Uncommitted members in swing states like Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Georgia have been waiting for Biden to change his course on Gaza, but now all eyes are on Harris.
“They breathed a sigh of relief that President Biden was no longer the nominee and they’re hoping that Kamala Harris says ‘not another bomb’, turns the page on Biden’s disastrous policy on Gaza and shapes a new course on Middle East policy,” he said.
Michigan constituents want politicians to reflect their support for Palestine
Michigan has the highest population of Arab Americans, home to an estimated 211,405, and making up 2.1% of the state’s population. In the 2020 election. For context, Biden won Michigan by just 154,000 votes, according to the Washington Post.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced her endorsement of Harris on Monday, which was followed by support from most of the state’s senators and members of Congress. Notably, Rep. Rashida Tlaib was the only congressperson to not endorse the VP by Monday afternoon, reported Axios.
Tlaib and other Michigan legislators have been vocal in their opposition towards Biden’s foreign policy. In February Tlaib urged Democrats in her state to vote uncommitted during the primary.
“It is also important to create a voting bloc, something that is a bullhorn, to say ‘enough is enough.’ We don’t want a country that supports wars and bombs and destruction. We want to support life. We want to stand up for every single life killed in Gaza,” Tlaib said in a video posted on social media in February.
Biden lost the primary vote to the “Uncommitted” movement in Dearborn Heights, Hamtramck, and Dearborn, which became the first Arab-majority U.S. city in 2023, according to the BBC. In Dearborn, Arab Americans account for 54.5% of the population.
On Sunday, Dearborn’s mayor Abdullah Hammoud tweeted that the Democratic nominee needs to pivot Americans’ policy on Gaza.
“Dems have an opportunity to be bold [in] this convention. To nominate a candidate who can usher historic policy domestically AND abandon the genocidal course charted in Gaza and beyond. America needs a candidate who can inspire voters to come out to the ballot box in November,” he wrote.
According to its website, the Uncommitted Movement has reached Wisconsin, Washington, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Mexico, Oregon, and Minnesota.
Minnesota, also a swing state, saw 19% of its primary votes go to the uncommitted category, according to Al Jazeera. In Wisconsin ballots do not have an “uncommitted” option, with “uninstructed” being the state’s equivalent. In April, NPR reported over 47,000 “uninstructed” votes were counted, making up 8% of primary votes.
Will Harris deviate from Biden’s approach on Gaza?
On Tuesday, Layla Elabed, head of the Uncommitted National Movement appeared on ABC News to discuss the organization’s stance on Harris.
“We have been saying since February in order to unite this party and have a fighting chance in the race to the White House we need a change in policy when it comes to Gaza. We need to stop Israel’s war and occupation against Palestinians,” said Elabed.
In March, Harris called for an immediate ceasefire during a speech in Selma, Alabama, calling the conditions in Gaza inhumane and calling on Israel to allow better flow of aid. Elabed said that a ceasefire isn’t enough if the U.S. continues to provide Israel with funding, and that the U.S. needs to move away from Biden’s approach on the issue.
Reports circulated Monday that Harris declined to preside over the Senate Wednesday when Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint meeting of Congress, a move called “petty and disrespectful” by Sen. John Cornyn, but which some deemed as appearing more sympathetic towards Palestinians.
“That’s something the president himself has clearly struggled with,” Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute told the Washington Post on Wednesday. “And empathy is not something you can fake. I think people see through it. And I think that’s been the biggest difference.”
On Capitol Hill yesterday, Axios reported that about 100 House Democrats and 28 Senate democrats were in chamber for Netanyahu’s speech, meaning that about half did not attend including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A stark difference from the 50 representatives and 8 senators who boycotted the prime minister’s visit in 2015.
According to an anonymous Harris aide who spoke to the Washington Post, this should not be taken as a change in the VP’s stance on Israel, and she is planning to meet with Netanyahu at another point of his visit.
Political analysts warn that Harris’ policy is not likely to strongly deviate from Biden’s.
“She’s been out front in expressing concern about the plight of Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire in Gaza, but she also believes that Hamas must be defeated and that Israel has the right to defend itself,” Politico senior foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi wrote in a column published Monday. “And while she has to worry about voters in swing states such as Michigan with its large Arab American population, she still needs to weigh the concerns of pro-Israel voters and groups that will mobilize against her.”
Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff is Jewish American who has been critiqued for his views on anti-semitism by some progressive Jewish groups for not being distinctive enough between attacks on Jewish communities and free speech. Her stepdaughter, Ella made headlines last year for promoting a fundraising campaign for children in Gaza.
Pressure is mounting from not only Arab Americans, but labor unions which represent a diverse and significant portion of the Democratic base, and young people, indicating broader discontent with current policies.
Though not all Democrats are in support. On a Michigan Democrats presidential endorsement call Tuesday, delegate and Uncommitted organizer Abbas Alawieh said he was explaining the Uncommitted’s stance when another delegate told him “shut up, asshole, “which he told Mother Jones exemplifies the anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism within the party.
In a Twitter thread he posted after the call, he wrote:
“I believe @KamalaHarris has an opportunity to unite our party so that we can pursue a more humane Gaza policy and so we can help beat Trump by reengaging voters who feel deeply betrayed.
That’s gonna take fellow Dems engaging with & not ridiculing Uncommitted delegates & voters.”
On Capitol Hill yesterday, Axios reported that about 100 House Democrats and 28 Senate democrats were in chamber for Netanyahu’s speech, meaning that about half did not attend including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A stark difference from the 50 representatives and 8 senators who boycotted the prime minister’s visit in 2015.
In order for Harris to win over the support of the people, @dear_white_staffers, who chooses to remain anonymous to continue helping Capitol Hill employees of color share testimonials of workplace conditions without jeopardizing their job or safety, says that she will have to prove her policies reflect the issues voters have vocalized matter to them, and choose a VP candidate who will do the same.
“I think that Harris and her team will have to genuinely show that they are listening and responding to the hundreds of thousands of people demanding a permanent peace in Gaza, to keep public schools public, and to meaningfully tackle the climate emergency our planet faces.”
In Dec. 2023 Harris said during a press conference that Israel had a right to defend itself but has appeared more sympathetic in the months following. According to Reuters, she is expected to meet with Netanyahu on Thursday.
