Dear Friend,

We’re three weeks from Election Day, amid genocide in Gaza and Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. The stakes for our community and the people we care about have never been greater. It’s at this critical moment that the Arab American vote is center stage with commentators openly discussing the importance of Arab American voters and how Israel's war on Gaza and the West Bank—as well as in Lebanon—will impact the election. Our voters are getting the attention and priority they rightly deserve from the media but not so much from the policymakers setting the policy.

That hasn't stopped Maya and me from trying to get the focus on an exhausted and grieving Arab American community. Recently, we met with the White House and the State Department to discuss both the genocide in Gaza and the horrific man-made humanitarian crisis facing Palestine and Lebanon. We highlighted that Gaza and Lebanon have become a key issue for Arab American voters, and so many other Americans who understand what is happening. We have warned that the genocide and invasion of Lebanon must be stopped.

I want to share with you a few media appearances that both Maya and I have recently made. We do these interviews to make it clear, to those in office now and those seeking office, that our concerns, Palestine, the genocide in Gaza, and the invasion of Lebanon, cannot be ignored. We cannot be ignored.

In Rolling Stone I was interviewed at length on how Arab Americans view unconditional support of Israel's war on Gaza and Lebanon. I’ve already received harsh calls from political advisors about my words, but the parties need to hear this warning. You can read the article here.

Last Wednesday, I joined Peter Beinart for his weekly call with Substack subscribers to discuss the situation in Lebanon and the impact it may have on the election. If you are a subscriber to The Beinart Notebook, you can watch a replay here.

Maya also joined Peter for the Foundation for Middle East Peace's Occupied Thoughts podcast. They discussed Maya's recent Senate testimony, the rise of anti-Arab hate, and how Arab American concerns may impact the election. You can listen to their talk here.

Earlier this month, we released a poll on the Arab American vote in the upcoming election. In the poll, we found that the Biden Administration’s handling of the crisis in Gaza has eroded Arab American support for Democrats, resulting in a now evenly divided community with each party receiving 38% support. In the presidential race, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are virtually tied at 42% to 41%, respectively.

The poll received extensive media coverage including in ABC, Reuters, The Hill, Miami Herald, The Nation, VOA, and the Middle East Eye.

Even in this darkest of times for our community, the media knows our importance and the role we play in our country. Policymakers need to take notice - and not underestimate the Arab American community. Our fight for an end to the genocide in Gaza, an end to the invasion of Lebanon, and the liberation of the Palestinian people will continue.

Regards,

Jim

Arab American Institute Foundation
1600 K Street, NW, Suite 601
Washington, DC 20006
United States