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Plans for Vice President Kamala Harris to meet with members of the Arab American community were abruptly postponed this week after leaders decided not to move forward, according to two sources familiar with the situation. It is said to be the latest sign of obstacles the administration faces in trying to hold talks. Penetrate the community.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris have been dogged by protesters calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip at events across the country, highlighting a deep-seated reality as the president shifts into general election mode: Democrats are deeply divided over Biden’s support for Israel in its war with Hamas, and the issue threatens to split the coalition.
Earlier this week, the Vice President’s Office held a virtual meeting with about a dozen participants from the Arab American community, including activists and representative organizations, to discuss topics such as the Gaza crisis, ahead of Harris’ listening session at the White House. We talked about it. House scheduled for Monday, a source said.
The next day, participants canceled Monday’s session. They cited concerns about possible backlash from allies and not wanting to represent the entire community. Officials said discussions are continuing regarding the possibility of rescheduling.
The postponed meeting, which had not been previously reported, comes after members of the Arab American community, including one held last week in Michigan following a request by leaders and activists to meet with the White House. It’s part of a concerted effort by the administration to be heard. officials.
A White House official told CNN that the vice president “looks forward to continuing to engage with leaders of the Muslim, Arab and Palestinian communities through calls and meetings.”
“The Vice President is committed to listening to and engaging with people in these communities, and we look forward to meeting with these leaders in the future,” the official said. He added that Harris spoke to people and people who left Gaza. Contribute to humanitarian response, etc.
Community members invited to Monday’s session insisted they wanted to keep lines of communication open with the White House, but the episode served as a further reminder of the challenges facing the administration.
It also comes as Harris faces protesters on her Reproductive Freedom Tour, including a group that declined to participate due to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
ACCESS Reproduction Justice, a California-based nonprofit focused on abortion access, has decided not to attend Harris’ San Jose stop.
“The plight of the Palestinian people is a reproductive justice issue that we feel very strongly is being ignored, frankly, by the Biden-Harris administration,” Jessica Pinckney Gill, executive director of ACCESS RJ, told CNN. “There is,” he said.
Gill stressed that despite the decision not to participate in the event, the group remains in contact with the vice president’s office.
“For us, participating in the event was supporting policies that we do not fully support, but continuing the dialogue with the administration will encourage policy change,” she said.
A person familiar with the matter told CNN that Harris’ staff, at the vice president’s direction, offered those protesting her event an opportunity to speak directly with White House officials and share their concerns.
Harris was interrupted in January during a moderated debate on abortion rights with actress Sophia Bush in San Jose. Demonstrators could be heard calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
And this week, Harris was interrupted by protesters during a speech in Savannah, Georgia. Minutes after her speech, protesters chanted “shame” and “genocide”, referring to the violence unfolding in Gaza.
In response, Harris said: “We know that in a healthy democracy, the freedom of all people to be heard is respected, but what we’re talking about right now is… It’s about what happened to American women and Americans as a result.” Refers to the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
White House officials said members of Harris’ team spoke with protesters in Georgia.
According to a recent CNN poll, 34% of Americans approve of Biden’s response to the war between Israel and Hamas. About half of Democrats (51%) say they approve of his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Among Democrats under 45, that percentage drops to just 35%.
This week, government officials met with members of the Arab American and Muslim communities in the battleground state of Michigan.
Asked about the meeting, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “We want to hear directly from them,” and said it was important that regional leaders “have the ability to speak directly to White House officials.” he added.
The Michigan meeting comes after Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez visited the state and met with local community leaders, including members of the Arab American and Muslim communities. Ta.
A sit-in scheduled to include about a dozen Arab-American, Muslim and Palestinian leaders and activists was called off last month after invitees refused to attend. At the time, some expressed frustration that the Biden team sent campaign officials rather than White House officials.
“The president’s refusal to change course or even publicly acknowledge his mistakes is a grave insult to the people of Michigan, especially the Michigan Democratic Party,” said Listen to Michigan. said Abbas Allawi, a spokesperson for . said Friday. “Listen to Michigan” is a new campaign urging Democrats to vote “irresponsible” in the state’s Feb. 27 presidential primary in order to get Biden to support a ceasefire.
“And the hypocrisy of (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) continuing to hold Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable in public, while privately telling us that the administration made a mistake, has political consequences here in Michigan as well. It’s a blatant display of moral bankruptcy,” Allawi said.
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