SPOKANE, Wash. – A campaign encouraging Washington Democratic Primary voters not to pick President Joe Biden on their ballots in order to encourage a ceasefire in Gaza is underway.
The “Uncommitted Washington” campaign is led by the American Muslim Advancement Council and co-sponsored by a litany of organizations including Jewish Voice for Peace.
The group argues that the Biden Administration has a moral responsibility to advocate for a cease-fire in Gaza.
“We want to send a clear message to the Biden Administration: the vast majority of Democratic voters want a ceasefire now, and he needs to listen to and heed the calls of his base,” Uncommitted Washington said.
Protests against alleged Israeli aggression have occurred across the Evergreen State, including in Spokane.
Uncommitted Washington mirrors an effort in the Michigan Democratic primary which argued that the current military invasion of Gaza constitutes an act of attempted genocide.
“Cast a protest vote in order to send a message to the Biden Administration about how unhappy many voters in Michigan are with Biden’s support of Israel’s war in Gaza and the ongoing genocide,” the organization said.
While the Biden Administration has been hesitant to criticize military efforts in Gaza, the US military airdropped emergency supplies to Palestinian civilians on March 2, and Vice President Kamala Harris has led the administration’s careful effort calling for peace in the region. So far, those calls have not yielded any such ceasefire.
An event hosted by Uncommitted Washington in Seattle on Monday will include Tacoma City Council member Olgy Diaz and several ceasefire advocates from both academic and labor organizing backgrounds.
Advocates hope that the event will cause the Biden administration to reassess the priorities of the Democratic voting coalition heading into the 2024 general election and incentivize the White House to take a stronger pro-Palestinian stand.
