MINNEAPOLIS — The war in Gaza may seem completely beyond the control of everyday Minnesotans, but there's a movement afoot to make it part of the decision-making process for voters in next Tuesday’s presidential preference primary here.
Supporters of an immediate ceasefire are calling on Democrats to vote for "uncommitted" rather than for President Biden, to send the president a message about the need to end civilian casualties in Israel’s fight against Hamas.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports nearly 30,000 Palestinians dead from Israel’s strikes against Hamas in retaliation for an Oct. 7 surprise attack that killed 1,200 Israelis. Hamas still holds more than 100 Jewish hostages, most likely inside of Gaza.
There's now a humanitarian crisis as refugees from northern Gaza have been pushed to the south.
"We're very hopeful that many people are going to come out because they want to send a strong message to President Biden, and that message is this war is untenable," said Jaylani Hussein, the executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations in Minnesota.
President Biden told reporters Monday he’s hopeful for a temporary ceasefire by next week, and is still optimistic about a two-state solution at some point in the future that would allow Israelis and Palestinians to peacefully coexist. Supporters of the "uncommitted" movement hope to nudge the president to take a harder stance with Israeli leaders.
“It’s not a huge ask. In fact, it’s the most basic ask we can ask, a ceasefire to the murder of children in the name of the United States," Hussein said. "We are embarrassing ourselves in the world. The United States continues to veto resolutions, language that says, that Israel should protect innocent life.”
The Democratic Presidential Primary ballot in Minnesota contains an oval next to the word "uncommitted" along with nine candidates. That choice is there to give voters the power to send uncommitted delegates to the DNC convention in August.
But backers of a ceasefire in Gaza are asking people to go with uncommitted to stay active in the political process and yet deliver a wakeup call to the president. They’re inspired by a similar movement in Michigan ahead of that state’s primary.
As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, 12.7% of Michigan Democrats had picked uncommitted.
"What we are doing right now is to stop the loss of human life. And the only way we can do that is to get a permanent ceasefire, and we're doing that by voting uncommitted next Tuesday," Asma Mohammed, who works to combat Islamophobia in Minnesota, told KARE.
She expected that many of the DFL precinct caucuses held Tuesday night would end with ceasefire resolutions being passed.
"We're seeing people all over the country saying we want our president to do better. We were all in for Biden, so many of us. And this is the only way our democracy allows us to hold him accountable."
The movement has drawn the support of some Twin Cities elected leaders, including St. Paul City Council President Mitra Jalali.
"I haven't talked to a constituent of any background who is okay with the devastation, who wants us to keep going unfettered, and who supports just an ongoing war with American unconditional aid," Jalali said.
She said her own experience as the daughter of an Iranian immigrant has made her deeply appreciate this country’s commitment to democracy and civil rights, but the people she represents aren’t isolated from the impact of what’s happening in Gaza. At the same time, her family was affected by the Trump-era Muslim immigration bans.
"We are aware a Trump presidency is more dangerous for our country, and there’s a conversation that needs to be had with our current president about how this current course of action is also dangerous for many of our neighbors and friends," she said.
Some American Muslims have joined the “Abandon Biden” movement over the lack of a ceasefire. Jalali isn’t on board with sitting out this election in protest.
"I don’t agree with the Abandon Biden calls because I think that when you elect somebody, what you are doing is saying we want to govern together, we want to you to account for what our communities need who fought really hard to get you elected."
When asked about the uncommitted movement at a state capitol press conference Monday, DFL Chair Ken Martin urged Democrats to keep their eyes on November.
"While there may be differences of opinion with President Biden on certain issues, I would encourage folks, not only in the Muslim community but in other communities who might have concerns, to remember the stakes of this election in November. They're tremendous. And there is a deep, deep difference between President Biden and Donald Trump when it comes to issues like this."
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