Takeaways from AP’s report on the dilemmas facing Palestinian Americans ahead of US election

Many Palestinian Americans, in recent months, have been reeling from the double blow of the rising Palestinian death toll and suffering in Gaza and their own government’s support for Israel in the war. Alongside pro-Palestinian allies, they’ve grieved, organized, lobbied and protested as the killings and destruction unfolded on their TV screens or affected their own families. Now, they are also wrestling with tough, deeply personal voting decisions ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

A “ray of hope” shattered

In some ways, Samia Assed — a community organizer from New Mexico — epitomizes the frustrations felt by many Palestinian Americans. Demoralized by the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war, she found in Vice President Kamala Harris’ ascension — and her running mate pick — “a little ray of hope.”

That hope, she said, was shattered during last month’s Democratic National Convention, where a request for a Palestinian American speaker was denied and listening to Harris left her feeling like the Democratic presidential nominee will continue with the U.S. policies that have outraged many in the anti-war camp.

“I couldn’t breathe because I felt unseen and erased,” said Assed.

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