Washington: Agencies
Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party candidate in the US elections, is trying to attract Muslim and Arab voters to gain their support in the November vote, amid the anger of those groups in the party due to Biden's unconditional and continued support for Israel in its war on the Gaza Strip.
According to the New York Times, Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota and the Democratic candidate for vice president, made a direct appeal to Muslim voters, condemning the destruction in Gaza, which he described as "stunning and comprehensive" and said that the war between Israel and Hamas must end immediately.
“This war must end, and it must end now,” Walz said in a three-minute video address at the virtual “A Million Muslim Voices: A Path Forward” event, hosted by the group Emgage Action. He added that Vice President Kamala Harris has focused on ensuring Israel’s security, the return of the hostages to their homes, the end of the suffering in Gaza now, and the realization of the Palestinian people’s right to dignity, freedom and self-determination. According to the Cairo-based Al-Youm Al-Sabea news website, the remarks, while brief, were an effort by the Harris campaign to reach out to Muslim Americans who have been angered by the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to the Middle East, who have long been targeted by the rhetoric and policies of former President Donald Trump, and who face a dilemma over their choice in this year’s election. Emgage Action, which focuses on building Muslim American political power, has endorsed Harris despite widespread discontent among many Muslims over the White House’s support for Israel, which is now fighting in Gaza and Lebanon. In an illustration of the broad and difficult alliance the Democratic ticket is trying to maintain, Walz’s appearance came on a day when Harris campaigned with former Rep. Liz Cheney, an anti-Trump Republican who has urged Biden not to withhold arms from Israel. Cheney’s father, the hawkish former Vice President Dick Cheney, has said he also plans to vote for Harris.

The conflicts have reverberated in Muslim and Jewish communities in swing states, including Michigan and Pennsylvania, two key swing states, the newspaper noted.

In Michigan, some Arab Americans voted “uncommitted” during this year’s Democratic primary when Biden was still the nominee, issuing a protest vote against Biden’s support for Israel in the Gaza war. The National Uncommitted Movement, the national group that organized the major protest effort, has since announced it will not endorse Harris, though it has also urged votes against Donald Trump and warned against third-party voting.