Hundreds of Muslims from the neighborhood and surrounding areas attend Friday prayers at the Islamic Cultural Center, located on Riverside Drive in New York City. One of the main supplications after the prayer is for the people of Gaza.
Ali, a corporate professional, is a regular worshiper here, especially on Fridays. He says international issues in the Nov. 5 presidential election are overshadowing the community’s domestic concerns.
“There are a lot of issues, but I don’t think it’s anything close to what we’re seeing in Gaza. There’s a large part of the Muslim community that doesn’t feel comfortable with the words and actions of the candidates.” He said.
He said, “The mainstream position in the Democratic Party appears to be, in words and actions, that there is a fear of angering the pro-Israel side. The lack of compassion and empathy is very disappointing, I must say.”
This presidential election, Muslims in New York are grappling with a complex political landscape. The community appears to be assessing its concerns on both domestic and international issues.
The situation in Gaza is one of the top issues that members of this influential voting bloc are concerned about. Many of them clearly expressed disappointment at how the democratic government has dealt with the situation in West Asia.
“For us, the situation in Gaza is very important. The war must end, and we don’t see the current government doing anything around that. Other issues like abortion rights and even LGBTQ are of concern, but Gaza is of most concern at this time,” says Waqas, a resident of Long Island, New York.
A recent poll conducted by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) in three swing states (Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan) found that the war on Gaza is a top policy concern for a majority of Muslim voters (61 percent). It also noted that this is the top issue for Muslims across all genders, ages, races and partisan lines.
Muslim American voters in New York, like their counterparts across the country, are increasingly prioritizing the Gaza crisis in their voting decisions for the upcoming presidential election. It would not be too far to say that the devastating conflict has become a defining issue and has the potential to reshape traditional voting patterns.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a recent post on X that American Muslims will have a “substantial impact” on the elections. “Our community is engaged. Now is the time to show the power of American Muslim voices in this important election,” the post said.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
