We are working to establish an immediate ceasefire lasting at least six weeks, says Biden
\n WASHINGTON
\nJoe Biden on Friday acknowledged \u201cthe pain being felt\u201d by many Arab Americans over the war in Gaza and over US support of Israel and its military offensive that has left Arabs, Muslims and anti-war activists angry and disappointed.
\nMany Muslims and Arabs in the United States have urged the Democratic president to call for a permanent ceasefire, stop the sale of weapons to Israel and use more leverage to protect civilian lives as a humanitarian crisis unfolds in Gaza.
\n\u201cWe must also pause to reflect on the pain being felt by so many in the Arab American community with the war in Gaza,\u201d Biden said in a proclamation on Arab American Heritage Month released by the White House, adding he was \u201cdevastated\u201d by the suffering.
\nHowever, hours after Biden\u2019s Friday statement, the Washington Post reported that his government had signed off on additional bombs and warplanes for Israel in recent days worth billions of dollars.
\nIsrael is the leading recipient of U.S. foreign aid, and the U.S. vetoed multiple votes at the United Nations calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza assault, before abstaining from a vote in late March.
\nThe Biden administration has issued proclamations since 2021 ahead of April, which is observed as Arab American Heritage Month. This year\u2019s proclamation was longer than previous ones due to Biden\u2019s comments on Gaza.
\nProtests demanding a ceasefire in Gaza have occurred in many US cities in recent months, including near airports, opens new tab and bridges in New York City, opens new tab and Los Angeles, vigils outside the White House and marches in Washington, opens new tab.
\nDemonstrators have regularly interrupted Biden\u2019s campaign events and speeches, including a high profile fundraiser.
\nThey have asked Biden to meet their demands or risk losing their support. Arab and Muslim Americans are unlikely to back Biden\u2019s rival, Republican former President Donald Trump, but observers note they could sit out the election and deny Biden crucial votes. They had overwhelmingly supported Biden in 2020.
\nBiden said on Friday he was working to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza, free captives taken by Hamas fighters and establish an immediate ceasefire lasting at least six weeks.
\nBiden also said Arab Americans have been a target of hate crimes while noting the fatal October stabbing of 6-year-old Palestinian American Wadea Al-Fayoume in Illinois, the November shooting of three students, opens new tab of Palestinian descent in Vermont, and the February stabbing of a Palestinian American man, in Texax.
\nIsrael\u2019s brutal military assault on Gaza has killed over 32,000 people, according to the local health ministry, displaced nearly all of its 2.3 million population, put the enclave on the brink of starvation and led to accusations of genocide that Israel denies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We are working to establish an immediate ceasefire lasting at least six weeks, says Biden WASHINGTON Joe Biden on Friday acknowledged \u201cthe pain being felt\u201d by many Arab Americans over the war in Gaza and over US support of Israel and its military offensive that has left Arabs, Muslims and anti-war activists angry and disappointed. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":397483,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-397475","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n