The Metro: How the war in Gaza is swaying voters in Michigan

Michigan is home to the nation’s largest Arab American population. And in southeast Michigan, about 300,000 Arab Americans call the Dearborn area home.

The city has garnered national attention for becoming a regional hub for protests against Israel’s destructive military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack in Israel, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,200 Israelis. More than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed — mostly women and children — since the war began, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, with roughly 80% of the population currently displaced.

The conflict has had deep political consequences at home, where many Arab American residents are vowing to “Abandon Biden” if the president refuses to push Israel toward a cease-fire.

University of Michigan-Dearborn Professor Sally Howell joined The Metro on Thursday to discuss how the Israel-Hamas war is impacting Arab Americans political decision making. She says people are being creative and participating in many ways of protest. 

“I’m surprised we’re not having bigger demonstrations, like in Chicago and New York, with thousands of people in the streets.” 

Arab residents in Dearborn overwhelmingly supported President Joe Biden in 2020. But now there’s a large movement to vote uncommitted in Michigan’s February primary due to the ongoing conflict. 

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud refused to meet with Biden officials before eventually taking a meeting and continuing his demand for a cease-fire to the war in Gaza.

Use the media player above to hear the full interview with University of Michigan-Dearborn Professor Sally Howell.

More headlines from The Metro on Feb. 15, 2024:

• WDET’s Quinn Klinefelder reports on Democrats’ strategy to win back the White House and the significance that Michigan voters will play.
• Detroit is seeking a new poet laureate and, for the first time, a composer laureate. Michigan’s poet Laureate Nandi Comer joined the show to talk about what the roles can bring to the city. 
• Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield has yet to throw her hat in the race for Detroit’s mayor, but her campaign account ended in 2023 with more than $120,000 in donations. Bridge Detroit’s Malachi Barrett joins the show to talk about notable donors. 
• Michigan man and co-creator of the pop-tart William “Bill” Post died at the age of 96 this week. George Franklin, former vice president of worldwide government relations for Kellogg Company, joined the show to discuss Post’s legacy.

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