The Pro-Peace Movement Calls for a Protest Vote in the Virginia Primary to Hold the Biden Administration Accountable

posted on: Mar 1, 2024

In a bold statement of dissatisfaction and disappointment, the Pro-peace community (Listen to Virginia) is mobilizing to withhold support for President Joe Biden during the Virginia primary elections on March 5th. This decision comes in response to the Biden administration’s failure to uphold its promises regarding the civil rights of Arab Americans and its insufficient action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

• During his 2020 campaign, President Biden pledged to defend the civil rights of minorities and committed to recognizing the equal worth of Israeli and Palestinian lives. However, recent events have demonstrated an apparent disregard for those commitments:
• The administration’s reluctance to take firm action to restrain the unfolding massacres in Gaza and its continued provision of munitions to Israel, which have been used to kill Palestinian civilians and destroy homes, hospitals, and infrastructure.

American citizens have fallen victim to violence in the West Bank, yet the administration has failed to take meaningful actions to protect them from Israeli aggression.

“We want to send a resounding message to the Biden Administration: Palestinian lives matter, and so do our votes,” said Maher Massis, spokesperson for the Listen to Virginia Campaign. He said, “We refuse to be silenced or overlooked any longer. With each ballot cast, we assert our presence and demand that our voices be acknowledged and respected.”

Hanna Hanania, Listen Virginia coordinator, said, “Our Arab-American community has achieved remarkable progress in recent years. Once fearing presidential elections due to candidates rallying against us, now our vote stands as a potential deciding factor, as highlighted by numerous news outlets. Michigan’s recent primaries echo a clear message; we must sustain this momentum and cast our votes to Marianne Williamson on Tuesday.”

In light of these grievances, the Listen to Virginia campaign urges voters to refrain from voting for President Biden during the Virginia primaries. The community demands immediate action from the administration to address the crisis in Gaza, including:

1. Securing an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza and increasing humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. This includes the immediate withdrawal of all Israeli hostile forces from Gaza, the return of Palestinians to their homes, and the rebuilding of Gaza.
2. Justice for Arab American victims of Israeli violence through independent investigations and prosecution of perpetrators.
3. Measures to halt violence and land seizures in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and affirm non-recognition of illegal Israeli occupation and annexation.
4. Ceasing US attacks on Yemen.
5. Halting Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Syria. 6) Opening the US consulate in Jerusalem.
6. Support recognizing Palestine as a state with East Jerusalem as its capital, the UN Security Council.

While acknowledging that these actions cannot fully repair the damage, they represent a critical step toward restoring trust and accountability within the Arab American community.

On Tuesday, March 5, Virginians will make their voices heard by casting their protest vote for Marianne Williamson on the Democratic ballot.

Complied by Arab America

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