A pro-Hamas digital advertisement posted on the MEANS TV X Twitter account has ignited controversy and raised concerns for several reasons. The ad showcases what appears to be footage from the Israel-Hamas War and pro-Hamas protests held across the United States.
The video features Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), a vocal critic of Israel, who sends a message to President Joe Biden, asserting that the American people are not aligned with him on this matter and that they will remember this in the 2024 elections.
Among the featured protest scenes, one from Michigan, Rep. Tlaib’s home state, stands out. In it, crowds can be heard chanting “from the river to the sea,” a slogan that some view as calling for the destruction of Israel and the death of Jews.
The ad concludes with the claim that “Joe Biden supported the genocide of the Palestinian people,” and warns the President to support a ceasefire immediately if he hopes for support in the 2024 elections.
Notably, the ad doesn’t mention the October 7 terrorist attack carried out by Hamas against Israel, in which over 1,400 Israelis, including men, women, children, and even babies and elderly Holocaust survivors, lost their lives in brutal and horrifying circumstances. Some victims were not only murdered but also subjected to rape, torture, and kidnapping. American casualties were also reported in the attack.
In the aftermath of the attack, some White House staff members anonymously expressed concerns and called for more support for Palestinians.
Reports have also emerged indicating that American Muslims may withhold support from President Biden in the 2024 elections due to his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Michigan, with one of the largest Muslim and Arab American populations in the country, played a critical role in Biden’s victory in the swing state in 2020.
Representative Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) highlighted the complex dynamics at play in Michigan, emphasizing the state’s competitiveness in national elections.
The controversy around the ad and the broader implications it carries for the 2024 elections have sparked discussions about the role of Muslim and Arab American voters. These demographics have historically influenced outcomes in battleground states like Michigan, Minnesota, Georgia, and Arizona.
There is no excuse for Joe Biden’s support of Israel’s genocidal campaign in Palestine.
Don’t count on our vote in 2024.
Made with @RashidaTlaib pic.twitter.com/lq9LASDgbQ
— MEANS TV (@means_tv) October 30, 2023
