A large number of Muslims did not attend the Iftar dinner – photo: AFP
Washington: The White House hosted an Iftar dinner for Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan, but President Biden’s policy on Israel-Gaza conflict was protested and the concerns of the Muslim community were raised.
According to a report by the news agency Reuters, American President Joe Biden met with senior Muslim officials in his administration before the Iftar dinner, where First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her husband were also present.
Dr. Zaheer Ahmed, who attended the invitation, said he had walked out before the meeting was over, as he had spent at least 3 weeks in Gaza. He said that he felt the need to walk out of this invitation in respect of his community, the victims of oppression, and those killed in an organized manner.
Ahmed said he was the only Palestinian-American at this Iftar, and there was no enthusiasm from Biden’s side, so he said he knew and I walked out.
Remember that this program on Biden’s behalf was completely different from the Eid dinner given last year in May, when dozens of participants in the White House clapped for Biden’s speech, in which he said that this is your home.
Among the Muslim members of Congress who attended this program were Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who are Palestinian-American and are part of the prominent individuals critical of Biden’s Gaza policy.
An American group working for Muslims said that Biden’s participation in this program was low and the reason was that Biden has decided to continue providing unconditional military aid to Israel.
The group said that due to Biden’s cooperation, loss of human lives is occurring in Gaza and a humanitarian crisis has emerged.
It should be noted that on October 7, 2023, during Hamas’s attacks, 1200 Israelis were killed, while more than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in the ongoing brutal actions by Israel, with thousands injured and millions homeless.
On the other hand, the United States vetoed the resolutions presented in the United Nations Security Council for ceasefire agreements, and continued military aid to Israel, although several human rights organizations have described Israeli actions as genocide.