A New Policy: Arab Americans Reclaiming a Voice in Washington

posted on: Nov 4, 2026

By: Luma Alaraje / Arab America Contributing Writer

Following the start of the escalated genocide in Palestine in 2023, Tariq Habash and Josh Paul defected from the Biden administration in protest of its commitment to continuous support for war crimes committed by Israel. The two later founded A New Policy, an organization dedicated to reshaping U.S. policy concerning Israel and Palestine through political advocacy and civic engagement.

Arab America contributing writer Luma Alaraje speaks with co-founder Tariq Habash about the organization’s mission, its approach to political advocacy, and what it brings to disillusioned Arab American voters in this election.

The Missing Piece

Habash’s decision to leave the Biden administration was shaped by his experiences within the government and his work addressing discrimination in American schools. As a political appointee, he witnessed what he described as an imbalance in the administration’s approach to civil rights, particularly concerning anti-Palestinian discrimination and the treatment of Arab Americans. 

He also witnessed the influence of organized lobbying on discussions and decisions concerning Palestine. According to Habash, there was a significant absence of similar political organizations advocating for Palestinian rights and challenging U.S. policy toward Israel. 

“There was a piece of the puzzle that was missing,” Habash explained.

While recognizing the important work of organizations such as Arab America, the Institute for Middle East Understanding, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Habash emphasized the need for an organization solely dedicated to political advocacy.

“We need somebody who’s willing to say, ‘We’re not going to focus on that stuff. We are just going to focus on the politics,'” he said. For Habash, the goal was to establish an organization that worked within the political system, building relationships with elected officials, and challenging the influence of lobbying groups that shape U.S. foreign policy.

Beyond The Ballot

While electoral participation is an important component of A New Policy’s work, Habash emphasized that political engagement cannot end at the ballot box. Much of the organization’s work takes place through consistent communication and lobbying efforts with members of Congress and their staff.

Habash explained that A New Policy maintains a lobbying team that meets with congressional offices daily, reviews legislation concerning Palestine, and communicates its findings to elected officials. The organization also maintains a legislative tracker to help the public follow congressional activity related to Palestine.

One of its initiatives, the Congressional Action Network, provides members of the public with lobbying training and coordinated opportunities to engage with their representatives. Habash said that more than 1,500 people have already joined the network. The organization also developed an action engine that allows people to identify their representatives and determine which legislative actions they should prioritize based on their representatives’ previous record. Habash explained that effective lobbying requires understanding what individual representatives have already supported and identifying the next steps they can realistically take.

“Chances are there may be smaller, easier steps that they’re more likely to take before signing on to [a larger initiative],” he explained. For Habash, maintaining these relationships is particularly important between organized advocacy days, when community members travel to Washington to meet with their representatives. He argued that elected officials must continue hearing from advocates throughout the year, rather than only during occasional lobbying visits.

Endorsements and Electoral Influence

In addition to its lobbying efforts, A New Policy PAC focuses on supporting political candidates who have advocated for changes in U.S. policy toward Israel and Palestine. Habash explained that the endorsement process goes beyond evaluating candidates’ positions on Palestine. The PAC also considers their electoral viability, examining factors such as polling, fundraising, previous election results, community support, and outside funding.

Habash explained that the organization interviewed more than 260 candidates during the election cycle but endorsed only a fraction of them. He emphasized that this result was not necessarily a reflection of candidates’ positions on Palestine, but rather an assessment of where the PAC’s resources could have the greatest impact.

According to Habash, the PAC endorsed 55 candidates in the primaries and helped 50 of them secure victories, which he described as a success rate of 91%. This is a significant success for the organization. Habash mentioned that the PAC wants voters and donors to feel confident that their financial contributions are being directed toward races where they can make a meaningful difference. 

While the PAC focuses on endorsements, the organization also maintains a focus on lobbying current elected officials. Habash described this lobbying infrastructure as an accountability measure, ensuring that candidates remain aligned with the policies they advocated for during their campaigns.

“We are going to be watching every single vote and every single statement that they make,” he said. The organization intends to maintain relationships with the candidates it supports while ensuring they understand that continued community support depends on the alignment of their actions in office.

2026 Midterms and Beyond

With the 2026 midterm elections upon us, Habash explained that the organization’s work extends beyond the immediate election cycle. One of its primary priorities is preparing newly elected congressional members for their upcoming responsibilities in Washington. This includes providing resources and information, helping representatives develop legislative strategies, and introducing them to other elected officials who align on similar policies and priorities. Habash emphasized the importance of building coalitions among newly elected members to establish a more coordinated political presence in Congress.

However, the organization’s progress does not end with the midterms. Habash also pointed toward the 2028 presidential election as an important opportunity to continue building political influence and recruiting candidates who support changes in U.S. policy toward Palestine. He argued that congressional victories alone cannot guarantee meaningful policy changes without broader shifts in the executive branch. The organization hopes to establish stronger expectations for candidates seeking political office, particularly within Democratic primaries.

Beyond electoral victories, Habash stressed the importance of communicating political progress to communities that have become increasingly disillusioned with the political system. For Habash, the political landscape surrounding Palestine is already changing, and continued community participation is essential to sustaining that momentum.

“We are actually seeing transformative change in a time frame that has never existed in American politics,” he explained. “The more of us that get involved, the faster we can make that change happen.”

As Arab American voters continue to navigate their relationship with American political institutions, organizations like A New Policy are attempting to establish new pathways to political participation and accountability. Whether through lobbying, civic engagement, or coalition-building, the organization’s approach demonstrates an attempt to translate growing public concern over Palestine into sustainable political influence.

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