- 29
- Oct.
- 2024
"This presidential election is unlike any other that has come before it, at least for Michigan," confided Abdallah, a Lebanese taxi driver residing in Dearborn, near Detroit, a city known for its predominantly Arab and North African demographic.
"In the last elections, I voted for Joe Biden, but this time I won’t be voting for the Democrats! I'm extremely disappointed in their foreign policy and outraged by their handling of the war in the Middle East. That's why I'm seriously considering voting for Donald Trump!" he explained to This is Beirut.
Like Abdallah, many are contemplating a vote for the Republican candidate in this crucial swing state on the East Coast, seeking to express their discontent with the "lax" stance taken by the president and vice president towards Israel.
The Arab-American community criticizes Kamala Harris for not being more assertive with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and resents her for sidelining it at the national convention. This has played into the hands of her opponent, Donald Trump, who has surrounded himself with Arab and Lebanese figures, including the father-in-law of his daughter Tiffany, Massaad Boulos.
For Ali, a Lebanese Shiite barber from Bint Jbeil, Donald Trump represents the salvation of the United States. "I don’t always agree with his political ideas and his openly anti-Iranian stance, but I concede that he is a candidate with a coherent political program and a real economic vision. He knows about money and the economy, while Kamala Harris will only implement the disastrous economic policies of Joe Biden and Barack Obama."
It is clear that Kamala Harris remains aligned with the current president and has not indicated any fundamental change in strategy, especially regarding US support for Israel. She vigorously upholds "Israel's right to defend itself," while promising to "fight for Palestinians to achieve their right to dignity, freedom, security, and self-determination." In contrast to Donald Trump, who urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to "finish the job," she advocates for an end to the war in Gaza following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Donald Trump claims that "there would never have been an October 7 in Israel," referencing the Hamas attack during his tenure. Furthermore, he states that if he wins, "we will have peace in the world again. It’s guaranteed." He accuses Kamala Harris of "hating Israel," praises his ties with Saudi Arabia, and asserts that Gaza "could be even better than Monaco." "If she becomes president, I believe that Israel will not exist within two years," he stated.
On Iran, both candidates adopt a tough stance, but Trump accuses the Biden administration of allowing Tehran, America's sworn enemy, to "enrich itself" despite sanctions, and of permitting Iran to attack Israel twice, in April and early October, due to its weakness. Last Saturday, the former president visited Dearborn, where he received support from numerous Muslim leaders. On Monday, Kamala Harris also visited Ann Arbor, a city about thirty miles from Detroit, to persuade local voters to support her and her running mate Tim Walz.
However, Donald Trump is not unanimously supported within Michigan's Arab community. While some believe he should win the presidential race, others criticize him harshly and publicly support the Democratic candidate, who has visited this key state 14 times since August 5 and holds 38 electoral votes.
"Kamala Harris is not racist or Islamophobic," emphasized Ousama, a Lebanese restaurateur who has been settled in Detroit since the early 2000s, to This is Beirut. "She doesn’t need to pretend that she is genuinely close to the people and cares about their issues."
One thing remains certain: with just eight days to go before the election, the race for the White House is far from over.
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