Madame Vice President: Arab Americans Need Action, Not Words on Gaza
By: Bishara A Bahbah / Arab America Featured Columnist
Since the outbreak of the Gaza War on October 7, 2023, the Biden administration has been emphatic in its support for Israel. This support permitted Israel to ravage Gaza savagely, kill over 30,000 people, injure over 72,000, destroy to rubble Gaza’s infrastructure, and deprive its population of food, medicine, water, and fuel.
Then, this past Sunday, Vice President Kamala Harris uttered the unbelievable words “immediate ceasefire” by anyone in the Biden administration for the first time. Unfortunately, she then talked about only a six-week ceasefire. The vice president said, “…given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire – for at least six weeks, which is what is currently on the table.”
She then added, “This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in. This would allow us to build something enduring to ensure Israel is safe and to respect the right of the Palestinian people to dignity, freedom, and self-determination.”
Ms. Harris: Calling for an immediate ceasefire for at least six weeks is a joke. If all the hostages are released in six weeks, Palestinians will have zero leverage to pressure Israel not to continue its war on Gaza.
Arab and Muslim Americans, progressive and young voters, and voters of color have sent another message to Biden in the Super Tuesday elections last night.
- In Minnesota, 18.9 percent voted “uncommitted,” with 95 percent of the votes in.
- In North Carolina, 12.7 percent of the votes came with “no preference,” with 95 percent of the votes in.
- In Massachusetts, 9.4 percent voted “no preference,” with 87% percent of the votes in.
- In Colorado, 8.1 percent voted “non-committed,” with 79 percent of the votes in.
- In Tennessee, 7.9 percent voted “uncommitted,” with 95 percent of the votes in.
- In Virginia, Marianne Williamson, the preferred candidate for our constituency, scored 7.8 percent of the votes, with 95 percent in. Unlike Michigan, Virginia has no box for “undecided” on its ballot.
- In Alabama, 6.0 percent voted “uncommitted,” with 94 percent of the votes in.
President Biden and Vice President Kamila Harris, the power of the people is demonstrating itself in the votes our community and its supporters have garnered. You either do what our community wants or lose your reelection bid in November.
Madame Vice President, here is what our community and its supporters want the Biden administration to do:
1. The United States must force Israel to accept an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
Israel is not above humanitarian or international law. Israel is not to be treated better than all other countries in the world. We all condemn what happened during the Holocaust. However, Jews are not the only ones that have suffered throughout history. This great country of ours allowed the slavery of human beings. Blacks were brought to the United States against their will from Africa and treated as property. This great country of ours massacred the American Indians, and those few who were left were forced to live on reservations.
Israel is a colonial settler state. Presumably, Zionist Jews fled to Palestine because of the Nazi persecution. In reality, they came to Palestine decades earlier with the intent of establishing a Jewish state that would displace and kill its indigenous Palestinian population. Israel is no different than the United States, Canada, or Australia, which took over lands that did not belong to them, massacred the indigenous populations, and established the lands of opportunity at the expense of the native inhabitants.
2. Israel must immediately allow all the humanitarian aid that Gaza’s people require without delays or excuses.
Vice President Harris stated on Sunday, “…the Israeli government must do more to increase the flow of aid significantly. No excuses. They must open new border crossings. They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid. They must ensure humanitarian personnel, sites, and convoys are not targeted. And they must work to restore basic services and promote order in Gaza so more food, water, and fuel can reach those in need.”
Madame Vice President: Are you appealing to a warmongering Israeli government? Don’t you have enough leverage to compel Israel to obey international and humanitarian law? Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid at a time when its GDP rivals many countries in Western Europe. Why? Are you and the president that much in need of pro-Zionist money to win your reelection bid?
Michigan has shown you that votes count a lot more than money. You will only win reelection to a second term with votes in critical states. Those votes include Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, young voters, progressives, and people of color. Please note that what happened in Michigan has happened in Virginia and N. Carolina and might happen in Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and elsewhere. Maybe not at the scale of Michigan, but enough to make a difference in what is expected to be a tight race between the Biden and Trump tickets.
My family and I voted in Arizona. Some of us voted for candidates other than Biden, while others wrote in “Ceasefire Now.” President Biden, you have not earned our votes, and we will only vote for you in November if you change course on Gaza in a meaningful and impactful way expeditiously.
3. The United States must immediately stop all military aid to Israel.
Stopping the flow of military aid would be a tangible step that Israeli leaders would understand. Don’t play us for fools by inviting Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz to irritate Benjamin Netanyahu. The latter understands nothing but the power of the stick. The United States has been far too lax in its treatment of Israel’s savagery in Gaza. The irony of U.S.-made bombs falling on Gaza while the U.S. drops food packages does not escape us.
4. The United States must immediately convene an international peace conference where Palestine would be recognized as a state.
Seventy-five years of agony, displacement, lacking fundamental human rights is way over the top. It is time now, not tomorrow, to recognize the state of Palestine and provide it with the means to establish a contiguous, prosperous state like any other country or people.
5. The United States must ensure immediate evacuation of Israeli troops from Gaza.
As Secretary Antony Blinken stated at the beginning of the Gaza war, Israel must not be allowed to reoccupy Gaza or resettle it in any way. Israeli troops must withdraw to allow for an interim international force to manage Gaza’s affairs and provide order and security for its population.
Mr. President and Madame Vice President, if you want our votes, implement our demands. Otherwise, we will vote for anyone but the two of you in November.
About the Author: Dr. Bishara Bahbah is a senior fellow and distinguished columnist at Arab America.com. He taught at Harvard University, where he served as the associate director of its Middle East Institute. He is currently president of the Palestinian American Congress and previously a negotiator in the Middle East peace talks.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Arab America.
The reproduction of this article is permissible with proper credit to Arab America and the author.
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