By Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Muslim leaders who supported Republican Donald Trump to protest in opposition to the Biden administration’s assist for Israel’s battle on Gaza and assaults on Lebanon have been deeply disillusioned by his cupboard picks, they inform Reuters.
“Trump won because of us and we’re not happy with his secretary of state pick and others,” mentioned Rabiul Chowdhury, a Philadelphia investor who chaired the Abandon Harris marketing campaign in Pennsylvania and co-founded Muslims for Trump.
Muslim assist for Trump helped him win Michigan and will have factored into different swing state wins, strategists consider.
Trump picked Republican senator Marco Rubio, a staunch supporter of Israel for Secretary of State.
Earlier this 12 months, Rubio mentioned he wouldn’t name for a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he believed Israel ought to destroy “every element” of Hamas. “These people are vicious animals,” he added.
Trump additionally nominated Mike Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and staunch pro-Israel conservative who backs Israeli occupation of the West Financial institution and has referred to as a two state answer in Palestine “unworkable”, as the following ambassador to Israel.
He has picked Republican Consultant Elise Stefanik, who referred to as the UN a “cesspool of antisemitism” for its condemnation of deaths in Gaza, to function U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Rexhinaldo Nazarko, govt director of the American Muslim Engagement and Empowerment Community (AMEEN), mentioned Muslim voters had hoped Trump would select cupboard officers who work towards peace, and there was no signal of that.
“We are very disappointed,” he mentioned.
“It seems like this administration has been packed entirely with neoconservatives and extremely pro-Israel, pro-war people, which is a failure on the on the side of President Trump, to the pro-peace and anti-war movement.”
Nazarko mentioned the neighborhood would proceed urgent to make its voices heard about ending the battle in Gaza. “At least we’re on the map.”
Hassan Abdel Salam, a former professor on the College of Minnesota, Twin Cities and co-founder of the Abandon Harris marketing campaign, which endorsed Inexperienced Social gathering candidate Jill Stein, mentioned Trump’s staffing plans weren’t stunning, however had confirmed much more excessive that he had feared.
“It’s like he’s going on Zionist overdrive,” he mentioned. “We were always extremely skeptical … Obviously we’re still waiting to see where the administration will go, but it does look like our community has been played.”
The Trump marketing campaign didn’t instantly reply to an electronic mail in search of remark.
A number of Muslim and Arab supporters of Trump mentioned they hoped Richard Grenell, Trump’s former appearing director of nationwide intelligence, would play a key function after he led months of outreach to Muslim and Arab American communities, and was even launched as a possible subsequent secretary of state at occasions.
One other key Trump ally, Massad Boulos, the Lebanese father-in-law of Trump’s daughter Tiffany, met repeatedly with Arab American and Muslim leaders.
Each promised Arab American and Muslim voters that Trump was a candidate for peace who would act swiftly to finish the wars within the Center East and past. Neither was instantly reachable.
Trump made a number of visits to cities with giant Arab American and Muslim populations, embody a cease in Dearborn, a majority Arab metropolis, the place he mentioned he cherished Muslims, and Pittsburgh, the place he referred to as Muslims for Trump “a beautiful movement. They want peace. They want stability.”
Invoice Bazzi, mayor of neighboring Dearborn Heights, who endorsed Trump, mentioned he met the president-elect thrice and nonetheless believed he would work to finish the battle, regardless of the cupboard appointments.
Rola Makki, the Lebanese American, Muslim vice chair for outreach of the Michigan Republican Social gathering, agreed.
“I don’t think everyone’s going to be happy with every appointment Trump makes, but the outcome is what matters,” she mentioned.
“I do know that Trump wants peace, and what people need to realize is that there’s 50,000 dead Palestinians and 3,000 dead Lebanese, and that’s happened during the current administration.”
