Arab-Americans are hopeful but cautious about a Kamala Harris presidency, believing she may be more sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, ABC News reported on Monday.
One cause for concern is her choice in running mate, leaders told the source. Jewish Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has been highly critical of the student encampments that took over US college campuses.
“Josh Shapiro was one of the first ones to criticize the students on campus. So it doesn’t differentiate Harris very much if she picks him. That just says I’m going to continue the same policies as Biden,” said Rima Meroueh, director of the National Network for Arab-American Communities.
While Shapiro has been interpreted by some as a red flag, other leaders said that her absence from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s congressional address last week was a positive sign.
“The door is cracked open since Biden has stepped down,” Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud told ABC News. “There's an opportunity for the Democratic nominee to coalesce the coalition that ushered in Biden’s presidency four years ago. But that responsibility will now fall on the vice president.”
While she missed Netanyahu’s address, she spoke with him directly on Thursday. Presidential candidate Donald Trump did not describe the encounter as a positive once, instead claiming their meeting had been insulting.
“If Harris called for an arms embargo, I would work around the clock every day until the election to get her elected,” Abbas Alawieh, an “uncommitted” Michigan delegate told the source. “There's a real opportunity right now to unite the coalition. It's on her to deliver, but we are cautiously optimistic."
Trump courts Arab-American votes
On behalf of Trump, Massad Boulos, a Lebanese-born businessman whose son married Tiffany Trump, visited the swing state of Michigan last week on - which has the most concentrated Arab community in the US.
Boulas, and Chairman of Arab-Americans for Trump Bishara Bahbah, tried to pitch a Trump presidency to the residents - insisting he was open to a two-state solution and pledged to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that he would work toward peace in the region.
“The three main points that were noted in the meeting were that Trump needs to state more clearly that he wants an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and that he supports the two-state solution, and that there is no such thing as a Muslim ban,” said Bahbah. “This is what the community wants to hear in a clear manner.”
Despite Trump’s attempt to court Arab voters, Dearborn's Democratic mayor told ABC News “I have not heard any individuals saying I’m now rushing to Donald Trump, I have yet to hear that in any of the conversations I’ve had. They all know what Donald Trump represents.”