Arab and Muslim American leaders, including those who support Donald Trump in the 2024 election, have criticized the US president's proposal that the US take control of Gaza and resettle Palestinians in another country. But some said they still see Trump as the best option for lasting peace in the region.
Leaders dismissed Trump's comments as mere unrealistic threats, but one of them warned of the possibility that the president and his Republican Party would lose support among Arabs and Muslim.
We believe his views have troubled many people, said Bishara Bahbaj, who founded the group "Arab Americans for Trump" and helped mobilize support for Trump in Michigan and other swing states. "We oppose any kind of voluntary or forced displacement of Palestinians from their homeland.
Trump floated the idea of a US occupation of Gaza at a White House press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Tuesday. Trump also proposed relocating Palestinians to neighboring countries and redeveloping the affected area, turning it into a "Middle Eastern Riviera". Trump did not rule out deploying US forces in Gaza.
The alienation of Arab Americans and Muslims from the Democratic Party likely played a role in Trump's victory, and his influence was greatest in the state of Michigan, which is home to the largest population of Arabs, Muslims, and Palestinians in the United States.
Many Arab and Muslim Americans voted against then Vice President Kamala Harris because of the Biden administration's attack on Gaza. Arab Muslim Americans voted against Kamala Harris support for Israel.
According to a survey conducted by the council on American Islamic Relations in the United States,, 53% of Muslims voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein in the 2024 election, while Trump and Harris received 21% and 20% respectively. The survey showed the exact opposite results from the 2020 election. In 2020, 69% of American Muslims voted for Biden and 17% voted for Trump.
Trump for Muslims co founder Rabel Choudhary said he was disappointed that no long-term solution for peace and reconstruction in Gaza was discussed, but he did not regret supporting Trump. He said it was not only dishonest to confuse Trump's rhetoric with the actions of Biden administration's provision of weapons and other forms of assistance to Israel during the bombing of Gaza. Rabel Choudhary said if we compare the action of Trump, Biden and Kamala Harris we cannot ignore the differences between them and say that Trump is a better choice.
Former President Biden's administration strongly supported Israel during the Gaza offensive and consistently urged that Israel do its utmost to limit civilian casualties and allow humanitarian aid to enter the Strip. Biden also praised the ceasefire agreement that went into effect on January 19.
Faye Nimr, founder of the Middle East and North Africa Chamber of Commerce, confirmed that Trump's proposal regarding Gaza is inconsistent with his message to Arab and Muslim Americans in the 2024 campaign. Faye Nimr had supported the party's increased outreach efforts with the community.
Faye Nummer added, "I think it's going in the opposite direction. If the Republican Party wants to maintain the momentum that it has been able to achieve in this election cycle, it cannot achieve that goal by alienating the voters who supported you'' I think that's unfortunately what's happening.
Samra, who lives in Dearborn, Michigan, explained, I'm not happy to hear about people being displaced from their homeland forever, but they're not being killed in the thousands or hundreds every day anymore like we saw last year.
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