Palestinian Americans Grapple with Voting Dilemma amid Israel-Hamas Conflict

Palestinian American Samia Assed, disillusioned by U.S. policies in the Israel-Hamas war, sees little hope in the Biden-Harris administration. Denied a Palestinian speaker at the DNC, many in the community face tough voting choices. Assed, a lifelong Democrat, struggles with supporting the Democrats while opposing Trump's presidency.

Disillusioned by the Biden administration's handling of the Israel-Hamas war, Palestinian American Samia Assed had seen Vice President Kamala Harris' rise as a ray of hope. However, that hope shattered after the Democratic National Convention last month denied a Palestinian speaker and left Assed feeling marginalized.

Assed, a community organizer in New Mexico, felt unseen and erased by Harris' remarks, leading her to agonize over her voting options. For months, Palestinian Americans have been contending with rising death tolls in Gaza and U.S.'s continued support for Israel. Faced with these stark realities, they now wrestle with deeply personal voting decisions, especially in battleground states.

Throughout the country, activists have organized, lobbied, and protested against the war, demanding changes to U.S. policy. However, Harris' recent rhetoric, while empathetic to Palestinian suffering, has failed to deliver a concrete policy shift, frustrating those seeking an end to the conflict. As the debate intensifies, some activists are contemplating withholding their votes from the Democrats and using their political power to demand meaningful change.

(With inputs from agencies.)