Washington, DC – The White House has cancelled a Ramadan iftar meal after a number of Muslim Americans declined the invitation in protest of President Joe Biden’s assist for Israel’s battle on Gaza, in response to two individuals conversant in the matter.
The sources, who spoke to Al Jazeera on situation of anonymity, mentioned the cancellation on Tuesday got here after Muslim neighborhood members warned leaders towards attending the White House meal.
Edward Ahmed Mitchell, the deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), additionally mentioned the occasion was nixed as a result of so many individuals selected to not attend, together with invitees who had initially agreed to go.
“The American Muslim community said very early on that it would be completely unacceptable for us to break bread with the very same White House that is enabling the Israeli government to starve and slaughter the Palestinian people in Gaza,” Mitchell advised Al Jazeera.
Both CNN and NPR had reported on Monday that the White House was making ready a small neighborhood iftar.
But hours later, on Tuesday, the White House introduced as an alternative that it might be internet hosting a meal for Muslim authorities staffers solely and holding a separate assembly with a couple of Muslim American neighborhood figures.
The cancelled iftar underscores Biden’s battle to stem rising anger in US Arab and Muslim communities over his unconditional assist for Israel.
Critics warn the outrage might translate into peril for Biden on the poll field throughout November’s presidential election.
‘We listened,’ White House says
Over the previous twenty years, US presidents have hosted iftars with dozens of outstanding Muslim Americans. Mirroring different spiritual and cultural occasions on the White House, Ramadan meals have served as a celebration of the Muslim neighborhood and are historically open to the press.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed that Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Muslim “community leaders” on Tuesday.
Asked why the “community leaders” is not going to attend the iftar, Jean-Pierre mentioned that they requested a gathering as an alternative of a meal.
“They wanted to make sure that there was an opportunity to discuss the issues at hand,” she advised reporters.
“They thought it would be important to do that. And so, we listened, we heard, and we adjusted the format to be responsive.”
Several Muslim American activists mentioned the assembly might be one other futile “photo-op”, arguing that the Muslim neighborhood has made its place identified over the previous six months.
“No matter how many meetings we have, no matter how many people have gone in, no matter how many conversations are being held, the White House has refused to change,” mentioned Mohamad Habehh, the director of growth at American Muslims for Palestine.
Habehh pressured that Biden can’t declare to take care of the Muslim American neighborhood if he doesn’t finish his backing of Israel.
“These photo-ops that they’re doing — these discussions that they’re doing to somehow show they still have the Muslim community’s support — are just pathetic attempts to make themselves look good at a time where their true colours have been seen,” Habehh advised Al Jazeera.
The Biden administration has held a number of off-the-record conferences with some Arabs and Muslims throughout the nation for the reason that begin of the battle in Gaza.
‘Selected by the White House’
A key problem with such talks, activists say, is that the administration has been handpicking whom to satisfy with.
A Muslim advocate near the administration offered a listing of credible Palestinian American leaders to ask for a gathering on the White House final 12 months, however the authorities rejected the recommended people, one supply advised Al Jazeera.
Emgage, a Muslim political advocacy group that endorsed Biden in 2020, mentioned it obtained an invite to the assembly however declined to attend, citing the US’s unconditional assist for Israel and the mounting loss of life toll in Gaza.
“In this moment of tremendous pain and suffering, we have asked the White House to postpone this gathering and to convene a proper policy meeting with representatives of the community’s choosing, rather than those selected by the White House,” Emgage CEO Wa’el Alzayat mentioned in an announcement.
Emgage outlined a listing of calls for for Biden, together with an “immediate and permanent” ceasefire, the resumption of funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and a “legitimate political track” for a Palestinian state.
“Emgage is ready to support efforts that engage in a substantive manner on the above priorities. However, without more Palestinian voices and policy experts in the room, we do not believe today’s meeting will provide for such an opportunity,” Alzayat mentioned.
Hebah Kassem, a Palestinian American political strategist, echoed that concern.
“The administration is strategically selecting who should be at the table, and they’re picking people who likely won’t be critical of their actions and policies,” Kassem advised Al Jazeera.
“Why are we allowing them to choose who represents us? These meetings haven’t led to any change. If anything, Biden has doubled down his support for Israel and increased the supply of weapons to Israel.”
US assist for Israel
The Biden administration has dominated out conditioning or stopping the stream of weapons to Israel regardless of mounting Israeli atrocities.
The Israeli offensive has killed near 33,000 Palestinians, destroyed massive components of Gaza and pushed the territory to the verge of famine.
While the Biden administration has often expressed concern in regards to the actions of the Israeli authorities, it has frequently asserted its dedication to the alliance with Israel.
On Tuesday, for instance, the White House expressed outrage over the Israeli assault that killed seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian employees.
Still, White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby advised reporters that the US is not going to maintain a “sort of condition over their [Israel’s] neck”.
“We’re still going to make sure that they can defend themselves,” he mentioned.
Abed Ayoub, the manager director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), mentioned Biden’s unwavering assist for Israel exhibits that conferences with administration officers over Gaza haven’t labored.
“You’ve got to measure the effectiveness of these meetings through results and actions by the administration,” he advised Al Jazeera. “The administration knows where we stand; they don’t need to hear it again.”
But Salima Suswell, the chief of the Black Muslim Leadership Council, mentioned it can be crucial for Biden to listen to the attitude of Muslim Americans instantly. She is attending Tuesday’s assembly on the White House.
“The President needs to understand that Black Muslims and Black Americans are devastated by the ongoing tragedy in Gaza, the loss of so many lives, and the Administration’s support of the onslaught,” Suswell advised Al Jazeera in an electronic mail.
“The President has an election coming up, and Black voters and Muslims will be pivotal. I want to make clear to him what is at stake should he not take action.”
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