The first national Muslim organization to declare itself “disloyal” to the President Joe Biden‘s re-election proposal is approved by the Vice President Kamala Harris‘ nomination.
Salima Suswell, founder and CEO of the Black Muslim Leadership Council Foundation, first shared the group’s decision with NBC News on Thursday.
“He has been more sympathetic to the people of Gaza than both President Biden and former President Donald Trump,” Suswell said of Harris. “During Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress, he decided not to attend. He has repeatedly called for a cease-fire and I believe he has shown empathy for civilian life and has been very concerned about getting aid to the people of Gaza.”
The foundation is the political action arm of the nonprofit Black Muslim Leadership Council. Both organizations started their activities in March Hoping to pressure elected officials, including Biden, to call for a permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
The group’s support is significant given the backlash the Muslim community has faced over the Biden administration’s handling of the war. Many Muslim groups have pushed for what they call a “Leave Biden” effort, which urges voters not to support him at the ballot box in an uncompetitive primary and, potentially, in the fall election.
After Biden’s decision to drop his re-election bid, some other Muslim groups said they were not committed to Harris’ candidacy and that he had a chance to gain support by differentiating himself from Biden on Middle East policy.
In March, Suswell announced that many members of his group were focused on domestic issues in the United States and did not support giving up on Biden. “I haven’t left Biden at this point,” he said. “But I’m undecided.”
Harris made headlines that month in output Marking Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama, he called for a six-week ceasefire and described the situation in Gaza as a “humanitarian disaster”.
“Given the enormous scale of suffering in Gaza, there needs to be an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently being discussed,” Harris said. “It will take out the foreclosures and get a significant amount of relief.”
Then, last week, just days after launching his presidential campaign, Harris met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House after speaking with Biden. After the meeting, he said Israel had an “unwavering commitment” and “right to defend itself,” while also drawing attention to the plight of the Palestinian people.
“What has happened in Gaza in the last nine months is devastating – the images of dead children and desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, sometimes displaced for a second, third or fourth time,” he said. “We cannot ignore these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to suffering. I will not be silent either.”
Harris also spoke about his message to Netanyahu. “I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu it’s time to get this deal done,” Harris said. “It is time for this war to end and end in a way that Israel is safe, all hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people enjoy their right to freedom, dignity and self-determination.”
For Suswell and the leaders of the Black Muslim Leadership Council Foundation, those words underscored the need to come out and support Harris. The group plans to launch voter turnout efforts in critical states like Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile, Suswell acknowledges that Harris is still part of the Biden administration and publicly supports Biden’s policy positions on the war. He said he was one of them A group of Muslim leaders met with Biden and Harris at the White House During a tense meeting, one leader walked out minutes before the meeting.
“It was not an easy meeting for the president,” Suswell said. “We were very strict with him. We were committed to expressing the needs of our community as well as our expectations of justice for the people of Gaza. I mean, we as a society want to see this war end. So many people lost their lives. It is time for the war to end and the hostages to return safely.”
Pressed on whether he saw a big policy difference between Harris and Biden, Suswell said: “I’m not going to assume there is a big difference. … It has also become more empathetic as it relates to civilian life. I think he is more open to negotiations on ending the war.”
Suswell added that his group was also forced to publicly support Harris because of his stance on domestic issues. “Economic opportunity, wages, jobs, health care, education, public safety and policing, criminal justice reform, all of these things are important to the American Muslim community, especially black Muslim Americans,” he said. “Vice President Harris has been strong and has been a leader on these issues.”
In addition, Suswell said he and other leaders in the group are concerned about possible actions by former President Donald Trump against Muslim people and Americans as a whole if he returns to the White House.
“I think this election is based on the decision between an authoritarian regime and a democratic government,” he said. “During the first debate [Trump] Israel must finish the job, he said [in Gaza]. It’s very, very disturbing.”
He continued: “He’s also committed to reinstating the Muslim travel ban. He’s also said that pro-Palestinian protesters will report, especially on college campuses. So that’s absolutely relevant — just a few of the concerns that we’re taking on. democracy.” , we take into account when weighing the future of justice and our basic freedoms.
“Now, Vice President Harris and I do not agree on all of his positions on the crisis in Palestine,” Suswell said. “But I believe he is more empathetic.”