Founder of US Pro-Palestinian Group "Will Vote for Harris"

[US Election 2024]

Abbas Alawi, co-founder of the pro-Palestinian voter group 'Uncommitted Movement,' which has opposed the Biden administration's Israel support policy, publicly announced on the 5th (local time) that he would vote for Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Abbas Alawi, co-founder of the Uncommitted Movement, said in an interview with MSNBC on Election Day, "Now is the time to clearly examine what (Republican presidential candidate) Donald Trump has planned for our community, especially Arab and Muslim Americans," adding, "I will vote for Vice President Harris."

However, seemingly aware of the backlash from pro-Palestinian voters, he also added, "We will pressure the next administration to move away from the policy of unconditional weapons and funding to the Israeli military." The Uncommitted Movement is a group composed of Arab and Muslim Americans as well as some progressives within the Democratic Party. The interview was also shared through the Uncommitted Movement’s X (formerly Twitter) account.

Until now, the Uncommitted Movement had avoided officially endorsing Vice President Harris, opposing the Biden administration’s Israel support policy. Earlier this year, during the Democratic presidential primary, the group led a so-called 'No Endorsement' voting campaign. As a result, in the battleground state of Michigan, even though Biden was virtually running unopposed at the time, 13.2% of voters cast their ballots as 'No Endorsement,' raising concerns within the Democratic Party. Protesters opposing Israel support policies also frequently appeared at Vice President Harris’s major campaign events.

However, as Election Day approached and the more hardline pro-Israel policies outlined in 'Project 2025,' considered to be former President Trump’s pledge book, became clear, the group appeared to shift toward supporting Vice President Harris. Co-founder Alawi expressed concern, saying, "The violence and policy violence that Trump seeks to advocate in this country are not unfamiliar."

Earlier, another Muslim voter group based in Washington DC, 'MEngage Action,' also declared support for Vice President Harris in September, stating that "there is a responsibility to defeat Trump in the presidential election."