Muslim Americans who soured on Biden see Israel aid package as further betrayal
Muslim American activists and organizers feel betrayed by President Joe Biden's support for additional aid to Israel, which is expected to become law next week.
WASHINGTON — "Outraged," "point of no return" and "absolute disaster" are how some Muslim American organizers have described their reactions to an aid package for Israel that is making its way through Congress for President Joe Biden to sign into law.
Many Muslim Americans were already furious with the Biden administration over its handling of the Israel-Hamas war, with activists organizing Democrats to vote “uncommitted" rather than support the president in some state primaries this year.
For several activists and leaders of prominent Muslim American organizations, Biden's support for $26 billion in aid for Israel reaffirms their view about November's election: They cannot back Biden for a second term.
Ahead of the House's vote to pass the aid package to Israel on Saturday, Muslim American organizations urged voters to contact members of Congress to demand they vote against the aid. It ultimately passed 366-58, with 37 Democrats and 21 Republicans voting against the aid and seven members absent.
If Biden signs an Israel aid package, as he intends to, "that heartless decision could mark the point of no return for what remains of the White House’s relationship with the American Muslim community and other Americans opposed to the genocide in Gaza," said Council on American-Islamic Relations' government affairs director Robert McCaw in a statement.
Rating: 5