Being Muslim or Arab in the US means silently accepting the American-Jewish narrative about the Middle East for many years. Millions of dollars were used to support the media, national elections, think institutes in Washington, D.C, and lobbying organizations that had access to the US Congress in order to maintain this narrative. For the most part, the Arab and Muslim response was a resigned quiet, partly because they lacked the resources and networks to challenge the dominant narrative.
Shifts in public perception
Furthermore, there were a lot of people who felt frustrated and defeated by the deluge of lies that dominated American popular knowledge. The biggest political weapon against any criticism of Israel was the fear of losing one’s job, being the subject of an online campaign, or being charged with anti-Semitism if one approached Jewish-American groups. Throughout my twenty-five-year career as an author and journalist, as an Arab-American, have at various times faced the anger of Jewish Americans. Given this, it should come as no surprise that U.S. President Joe Biden gave Israel his full support to launch an unrestricted military campaign in the Gaza Strip during the early stages of Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians, and even supplied the cutting-edge weapons required to carry out that mission. The Washington Post claims that in just the first six weeks, Israel bombarded the Palestinians in Gaza with 22,000 bombs supplied by the United States. The newspaper, citing intelligence files provided to Congress, stated that Washington also sent more than 50,000 artillery shells and nearly 2,000 pounds of “bunker buster” bombs during the same period.
Role of media and advocacy groups
About their ally Israel, Americans have historically held more favorable opinions than those about the Palestinians. Over the years, the average view of Israel among Americans has remained positive at 65%, according to Gallup’s 1989 survey. In 1989, during yet another period of elevated tensions in the region, Israel’s rating fell to 45%, the lowest of this period. In comparison, since Gallup’s initial survey in 2000, an average of 19% of Americans had a favorable opinion of the Palestinian Authority. In 2021, the highest rating was 30%. The historical averages for opinions from 2017 to this year were exceeded. The largest reduction in positive views of Israel among 18 to 34-year-olds is shown among young adults, who saw a dip from 64% in 2023 to 38% in 2024. Adults between the ages of 35 and 54 exhibit a modest but statistically significant decline, going from 66% to 55%, while those above the age of 55 show no discernible change.
Generational divide
Consequently, the slight age gaps in opinions of Israel were observed a year ago. A difference of 10 percentage points between the opinions of young individuals and older persons has grown. At 71% to 38%, older Americans are now almost twice as likely as younger Americans to have a favorable opinion of Israel. However, the Biden administration has discovered something unexpected since October 7 that has surprised both White House and State Department officials as well as common Americans: Arabs and Muslims have unexpectedly gained a strong public voice, which could cost them reelection in what looks to be a close race in 2024.
The American public’s growing sympathy for the Palestinians in Gaza has disturbed Biden administration officials, but a large portion of Congress has chosen to ignore this significant shift in popular opinion. Most don’t even notice the situation facing the Palestinian people, instead continuing to back Israel without reservation. However, there has been a public awakening that might be considerably more destructive than the division and hostility that former President Donald Trump who may run for president again in 2024 had fostered.
Impact on US policy
The primary cause is the close ties that activists, especially the younger generation, have made between the struggle against Israel’s almost century-long occupation of Palestine and other movements such as Black Lives Matter, indigenous rights, women’s rights, and the rights of Latinos and people of color in the United States. Numerous religious faiths’ churches, including those headed by black clergy, are also conducting vigils in support of the Palestinian people and calling for an end to hostilities. Now that they were not alone, Arabs and Muslims who still make up a significant minority in America were able to organize hundreds of thousands of protestors on the streets of Washington and other major cities. They were able to unite with other special interest organizations that have a well-established track record of effectively using political pressure to further their objectives. Broadly speaking, the public’s will to preserve Palestine or what’s left of it is a component of a greater struggle against the established colonialist system, of which the United States is an effective poster child since it supports Israel’s expansionism and settler-colonial endeavors.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Arabs, Muslims, and others broadcast shows every day denouncing Israel’s activities in Gaza and calling for an end to hostilities. In stark contrast to mainstream media outlets that support Israel, broadcasters.
