Biden/Trump Redux?
Even before US President Joe Biden dropped out of the race on Sunday, November’s presidential election had become a dizzying rollercoaster ride.
My Recommendations to the Democratic Platform Committee
This week, I submitted testimony on Israel/Palestine to the Democratic Party’s Platform Committee. This is my 11th convention and the ninth time I’ve been engaged in discussions regarding the platform, either as a member of the drafting committee, negotiating language with the campaigns, or simply presenting testimony, as I am doing this year.
The Challenge Democrats Must Face
While there has long been concern about President Biden’s age and his ability to run an effective campaign, many Democrats have resisted any discussion of replacing him at the top of the ticket. They recognize that the president’s record on domestic issues has been a good one on which to run. They know that his persona directly challenges former President Trump’s appeal with white working-class voters in key battleground states. And they are afraid of the uncertainties that might accompany his stepping down.
A Deep Dive into the Bowman Loss
Last week, New York Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman was defeated in his bid for a third term in Congress. In describing the outcome, newspaper headlines and media analysts only scratched the surface of why and how this happened and the consequences this contest would have on future elections.
The Peace Plan: Confusion or Deception?
After eight months of the Biden administration’s frustrating moves toward Israel’s war on Gaza, in recent weeks they unveiled the most confounding move of all.
Immigration Has Made America Great
June is National Immigration Month in the United States—an appropriate time to reflect on the special role immigrants have played and continue to play in enriching this country.
What Polls Can Teach Us About Arab American Voters in 2024
More often than not, those in the media take a simplistic view of political polls. Especially in a presidential election year, attention tends to be singularly focused on who’s up and who’s down.
Israel’s Backhanded “Apology” for the Rafah Bombing
On Monday, May 27, Israel appeared to “apologize” for the deaths of 45 Palestinians resulting from its bombing raid on a “humanitarian zone” in Rafah. By any measure, it was a backhanded apology that conveyed more insult than atonement.
Democrats Are Learning “Demographics Aren’t Destiny”
After Barack Obama’s decisive victory in 2008, Democratic Party strategists fell under the sway of the notion that the future of their party’s dominance was insured because, as they put it, “demographics are destiny.”
Pete McCloskey: An American Hero
Former Congressman Pete McCloskey died last week at the age of 96. By any definition of the word, Pete was a hero. He was courageous and selfless on the battlefield, fearless and principled in elective office, an advocate for justice and equity, and, in all instances, a truth-teller even when he paid a price for speaking out.
When Displays of Strength Mask Weakness
The brilliant Palestinian Fayez Sayegh once wrote that when pro-Israel groups appeared to be at their strongest, they were only masking the fact that they were at their weakest. This is clear in the contrast of Israel’s sharp decline in standing among many demographic groups of American voters and the actions and statements by Congress and pro-Israel groups, particularly in evidence during the past week.
A Framework for Middle East Peace and Stability
The US reaction to Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile launches against Israel was both predictable and unhelpful. More sanctions against Iran and more weapons to Israel, while at the same time calling for de-escalation, was at best contradictory. At worst, it could have the effect of exacerbating existing tensions.
The Impact of the Student Protests on Biden’s Re-elect
University student protests against US support for Israel’s war in Gaza have spread like wildfire. At last count, there have been sustained demonstrations on over 200 campuses. More recently, students have taken to establishing protest encampments in the center of some campuses. This began last week at Columbia University in New York. Ten days later there were encampments at almost four dozen universities.
Do They Have Any Idea Where They’re Going?
One Sunday afternoon, my father-in-law was on the Long Island Expressway driving the family to an event. With surprisingly little traffic on what would ordinarily be a congested highway, they were cruising along at a good speed.
Protecting Our Arab American Identity
It took over a half century to strengthen the Arab American identity and build organizations to meet community needs. Today this work is under assault by those who seek to erase our gains, fracture the community along sectarian lines, or silence our voices in US politics.
Even When It Seems Hopeless, We Must Never Quit
Two seemingly unrelated events of the last week have caused me to reflect on the long journey we’ve taken to Arab American empowerment. The first was the March 27th death of former Senator Joseph Lieberman. This was followed by the 28th anniversary of the tragic death of former Secretary of Commerce, Ronald Brown on April 3rd.
The Importance of Land Day to Palestinians
Land has always been central to the Palestinian national identity. I learned this lesson in 1971 when I spent time in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and Jordan collecting people’s stories of the Nakbah.
First Recognize Palestinian Humanity
Guys in white shirts and ties in Washington and their counterparts in Israel are sitting around tables making plans for what they want to see after Israel ends its genocidal assault on Gaza (if they ever end it).
Ukraine and Gaza Threaten US Leadership and Politics
This era’s wars in Ukraine and Gaza are having a more dramatic impact both on global alignments and US politics than the wars in Vietnam and Iraq had in their respective eras. And this is happening without any American troops directly engaged in either conflict.
Why Did Biden Open the SOTU With Ukraine & Close With Gaza?
President Joseph Biden faced heady tasks as he delivered this year’s State of the Union address to Congress.