'Why Are You Saying No?' Uncommitted Co-Founder Asks Harris to Meet With Americans With Family in Gaza and Lebanon

The co-founder of the Uncommitted National Movement said Wednesday that U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris—the 2024 Democratic nominee—have "repeatedly" declined requests to meet with Americans with family members living under U.S.-backed Israeli assaults in Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories.

"If you're going to continue sending weapons aimed at our family members, say it to our faces," Abbas Alawieh, who lives in Michigan but has family in Lebanon, wrote on social media, linking to a clip of his Wednesday appearance on CNN.

In that interview, Alawieh said it is a "simple ask" for Harris to meet with people whose families are impacted by U.S. support for Israel's deadly military campaigns in Lebanon and Gaza, both of which have been ravaged by American-made weaponry. Harris has said she opposes calls for an arms embargo—one of the factors the Uncommitted National Movement cited last when it announced in a nuanced statement last month that it would not endorse the vice president.

"There are tangible steps that Harris can take right now to build with this community that the Democratic Party has abandoned, has betrayed, in order for us to reengage these voters," said Alawieh. "It requires looking them in the face as you send weapons to kill their family members."

"Vice President Harris, why won't you sit down with Lebanese Americans and Palestinian Americans who have family in Gaza?" he continued. "We've asked repeatedly. Why are you saying no? I would recommend that as a first step to coming into this community and asking them for their vote."

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Alawieh's remarks came amid mounting fears that the Biden administration's unwavering support for the Israeli military's wars on Gaza and Lebanon is damaging Harris' hopes of winning the key battleground state of Michigan, which has a large Arab and Muslim population.

Alawieh, who served at the Democratic National Convention as an uncommitted delegate from Michigan, told CNN that he is "very concerned about Michigan specifically, and we have made the campaign offer after offer: come out with a statement talking about your commitment to international human rights."

"They've refused," he continued. "One ask that we specifically made, and I will reiterate it now for President Biden and for Vice President Harris: The Uncommitted Movement has asked them repeatedly, and people all across our country are asking them not only to stop sending weapons, but we've repeatedly asked that they meet with Americans who have family members experiencing the terror of American bombs right now."

Alawieh said that while his family "at this moment is physically safe to the extent that they can be," he is receiving messages "asking that we choose nice photos of them for their death notices should they become among the over a thousand civilians that the Israeli military has killed using U.S. bombs."

"I'm working with everything that I've got as a Democrat, as someone who worked on Capitol Hill for a long time, worked closely with President Biden's team, with Vice President Harris's team, to urge them to choose a different approach that saves my family's lives," said Alawieh. "That approach would require stopping the sending of weapons that are harming and killing civilians. It's really, really urgent."