From Donald Trump to Abdul El-Sayed: US Arabs centre Palestine in politics

What the report says

Arab Americans in Michigan are again shaping the state’s politics around the war in Gaza and US support for Israel, according to an Aug. 3 Al Jazeera report from Dearborn. The story says many voters who withheld support for Kamala Harris in 2024 now say they have no regrets, even though Donald Trump’s presidency has brought policies they strongly dislike, including anti-immigration measures and continued backing for Israel.

Al Jazeera quotes community activists and strategists saying the decision to reject Harris was driven by anger over the Biden administration’s handling of Gaza and Harris’s refusal to consider an arms embargo on Israel. The article says that in heavily Arab precincts in east Dearborn, Trump won a plurality of votes, while Jill Stein also drew significant support and Harris trailed. Several local figures told Al Jazeera that the community viewed voting as a way to pressure Democrats rather than endorse Trump.

The report says the political mood has now shifted toward Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a Palestinian American critic of Israel, as well as Rep. Rashida Tlaib. Activists describe Palestine as a “red line” issue, arguing that candidates who support Israel’s military campaign or are aligned with AIPAC will struggle to earn Arab American votes. The piece adds that many in the community still care about bread-and-butter concerns such as the economy and infrastructure, but see US policy on Israel as overriding those priorities.