For the first time, the Muslim vote may determine who will sit in the White House - opinion

For the first time, a new variable entered the US presidential election campaign in the form of the Muslim voice, which occupies a significant place and is encouraged both by the Democratic and Republican parties and by other parties (such as Jill Stein's Green Party).

Those who consistently follow what is heard and written in the Arab media in the Middle East are well aware of the new voices that have been heard in the US in recent years.

Voices of those who, since October 7 and the war in Gaza and Lebanon, have been calling to "take off the gloves" and stop acting according to a party that will not see them as full partners - these are the voices of the Arabs and Muslims in the USA.

Many Muslims in the US, especially in communities in swing states like Michigan - which is seen as a key state where the Muslim community is one of the largest in the US - express deep disappointment in Biden's foreign policy, which does not embody the long-awaited change predicted in his election campaign.

This policy includes continuous and unqualified support for Israel, especially in light of the war in Gaza and Lebanon, which they claim gives a "green light" to war crimes and exacerbates the plight of the Palestinians.

Despite calls to boycott, some still believe in elections

The feelings of disappointment and anger among Muslims in the US are deepening, and with them are also rising calls to boycott the upcoming elections or refrain from voting.

For many, choosing between the Democratic and Republican parties is likened to choosing between evils, as each of them, to one degree or another, ignores the interests and values of the Muslim community.

Despite the calls to boycott the elections, some Muslim leaders believe that voting can be a way of change. "Our real power is in the ballot box and in our ability to influence the politicians to understand that we are needed," says Dr. Zeinab al-Savij, an American activist. "If we give up our influence, we will be left behind."

"Not for nothing did Allah save Trump from two assassination attempts. His life was saved so that now he will be the one to save the lives of the Muslims in Gaza and Lebanon." The person behind this statement is Bilal al-Zahiri, the imam of the Great Mosque in Dearborn, Michigan, who last week called on Muslims in the US to vote for the "candidate of peace" (you read that right), Donald Trump, in the US presidential elections.

In North Carolina, a campaign called "Drop Harris" was launched, and Sami Hamdi, a British political commentator, called on Muslims in the US to "punish the Democrats in the elections, because if Kamala Harris loses due to her support for the Zionists, the Zionist lobby will collapse."

Furthermore, Palestinian organizations that in the previous election campaign called for overwhelming support for Biden are recalculating a new course and embarking on campaigns to support Trump and even publishing fatwas (rules of halacha) urging to vote for him.

Despite what has been said, even those who are inclined to vote for him believe that Trump is not a good man but simply the worst in the minority, and focus on his conservative policies regarding the family unit and on his promises to end the conflict in Israel.

The events of the hour require a renewed observation of the many variables in the political map of the US.

An example of such a variable is the Council on American Muslim Relations (CAIR), or as it is called "the Muslim AIPAC," which has repented its banner to restore and promote relations between Americans and Muslims in the US. B, especially since the events of September 11.

However, with the passage of time, it became associated with the activities of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. Manal Fakhuri, a senior member of the council, released an outrageous and disturbing statement that testifies to the change that has taken place in the council, saying, "A Palestinian has the right to exist." It's like asking a Jew if the Holocaust is acceptable."

The various polls predict that on November 5, it will be the Muslim vote that will decide on the identity of the person who will stand at the head of the leader of the free world. Still, Osama Siblani, the head of the Arab community in Dearborn, already knows how to tell us: "The future of America depends on us."

The author is a lecturer in the Arabic department at Bar Ilan University and a researcher at the MEMRI Institute for the Middle East Communication.