Muslim leaders in swing states pledge to ‘abandon’ Biden over his refusal to call for ceasefire

Attendees wave flags and fly signs during a rally in support of Palestine in Dearborn, Michigan, on 10 October. Photograph: Matthew Hatcher/AP

Muslim community leaders gathered on Saturday in Dearborn, Michigan, home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the US, to protest against Joe Biden’s refusal to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, reiterating that the president’s stance could affect his support in crucial swing states next year.

Jaylani Hussein, director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said that Biden’s unwillingness to call for a ceasefire had damaged his relationship with the American-Muslim community beyond repair. (Cair-Minnesota is not involved in his work on the Abandon Biden effort, which the organization said Hussein is doing in his personal capacity.)