The voters advocating for Palestine have effectively chastised the Democrats for their allegiance to Israel. So staggering was their impact that Palestinians might be able to soon view Gaza as a haven, akin to the ‘Riviera of the Middle East’, though they might not be able to live there anymore. These passionate defenders of the Palestinian cause have not only held Democrats accountable in a rather distasteful way but have also inflicted harm on the very Palestinians they allege to be helping. This is without considering the reasonable Americans who are kept in suspense about the evolving fate under a Trump presidency. Trump’s voters, as well as anyone who didn’t vote for Kamala Harris, witnessed Trump find the time amidst his hectic schedule to prepare for evicting Palestinians from Gaza.
Subsequent to this, our new president holds plans of constructing an appealing hotspot by the Gaza seashore, reminiscent of the experience with Native Americans where striking casinos were built, operated by the Palestinians, no less. Voters based in Dearborn, Michigan, met these propositions with severe hostility and resentment. They accused this president of falsehoods perpetrated to sway their votes. Astonishingly enough, the notion of Trump acting akin to a mob boss is only sinking in now for Arab Americans, or perhaps just the editor of Arab American News? On a utilitarian note, the selection during the 2024 Presidential Elections was essentially restricted to Trump and Vice President Harris.
The pair were the only serious contenders for the White House. Casting a vote outside of these two resulted in detracting votes from the two primary candidates. Frustration soared high among Arab Americans and other proponents of the Palestinian rights, owing to Biden’s refusal to curb arm sales to suppress Israeli bombings targeted at Gaza. This was Israel’s way of retaliating to Hamas’ brutal invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Angst over the deaths of an alleged 44,000 Gazans during the Israeli attacks, as reported by the Hamas-regulated health ministry, has permeated through pro-Palestinian advocates in Dearborn and nationwide. This astonishing number raised doubts about the necessity of such an enormous response by Israel. Nevertheless, Israeli critics portrayed surprisingly scant sympathy for the 1,200 Israelis who were brutally murdered on Oct. 7, along with the 240 hostages taken by Hamas.
Several Americans had chosen to vote for Harris due to her focus on domestic issues like housing, schools, gun safety, healthcare, and a spectrum of other matters. Some even attempted persuasion of the Pro-Arab activists by arguing that a Trump-led Republican Party would be worse for the Palestinians. A significant number of pro-Palestinian activists solemnly pledged to vote for anyone but Harris due to Biden’s involvement in Israel’s military reaction.
Reporters managed to glean from interviews with Arab Americans in Dearborn and neighbouring towns that numerous individuals refrained from voting for either Trump or Harris. Despite this, Trump won the popular vote by a margin of three million votes, while Biden was ahead by four million more votes than Trump in the previous election. This befuddling situation raises the question, where did the four million votes disappear to?
Contributing their fair share were the voters of Dearborn where almost half are of Arab American descent – Trump secured 42% of the votes, Harris was slightly behind at 36%, and Jill Stein of the Green Party managed to bag 18%. The triumphant Trump expressed his gratitude, rather unconventionally by announcing on Feb. 4 his intentions to integrate Gaza into America’s sphere which may soon possibly extend to encompass areas like Greenland, Canada, and the Panama Canal.
His plan involves displacing two million Gazans to a ‘destination poised to bring happiness’. Despite oscillating between proposing their departure as temporary or permanent, Trump is seemingly planning to construct the ‘Riviera’ as a dwelling for the ‘global public’, Palestinians included. He did not entirely dismiss the prospect of deploying troops, but only after the conclusion of the war. However, nobody in power has publicly acknowledged this possibility.
The optimism surrounding this proposition is scarce. Merely discussing this topic could prove precarious. There’s a very real risk that reckless talk could potentially provoke the Palestinians or their advocates residing in America into violence. The inhabitants of Dearborn and towns nearby have kept their reactions relatively restrained. Notably, two Arab town mayors in the vicinity of Dearborn refrained from making a statement.
Sarah Chabaan, a college senior and resident of Dearborn who voted for Trump, expressed her dissatisfaction about his Gaza strategy but remained doubtful that he would follow through on his proposed plans. She conveyed regret about her choice to a ‘slight extent’, however rationalized it by conceding, ‘Had I voted for Kamala, I think maybe the war might have still been going on. That’s the important situation.’
Is she operating under the assumption that the war has been concluded? Given the unpredictability and how rapidly things evolve an astounding 6,000 miles away from her home, the war could re-emerge without a moment’s notice. Does the awareness inspire confidence in the voters’ understanding of the situation? Prior to the Nov. 5 election, they’d resolved that both political platforms had forsaken the Palestinians. Could Trump possibly be worse? The answer to that question has now been learned.