Harris campaign officials meet with Arab-American, Jewish leaders in Michigan ahead of DNC

Much as President Joe Biden's campaign did before, Vice President Kamala Harris — now the Democratic presidential nominee — sent officials to Michigan on Thursday to meet with Arab American and Muslim leaders who continue to insist the U.S. government demand an Israel-Hamas cease-fire in Gaza.

Osama Siblani, publisher of the Arab American News in Dearborn, told the Free Press on Thursday morning he was meeting with Julie Chavez Rodriguez, campaign manager for the Democratic ticket led by Harris and her vice presidential running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

On Thursday evening, a source with knowledge of the meetings confirmed Rodriguez and others from the campaign met with Arab American and Muslim leaders as well as leaders from metro Detroit's Jewish communities. One person involved in some of the meetings, Deputy Wayne County Executive Assad Turfe, told the Free Press the discussions he was involved in, which included Rodriguez and Harris' liaison to Arab American and Muslim communities, Nasrina Bargzie, went well.

"I had an incredibly productive meeting today with Julie Rodriguez, Nasrina Bargzie and senior staff, where we discussed the importance of community engagement," Turfe, the highest ranking Arab American official in Wayne County, told the Free Press. "These meetings underscored the Harris team’s commitment to ensuring that our community has a meaningful seat at the table.

"They recognized that there is still much work ahead, but they’re dedicated to ensuring our voices are not just heard but actively involved in shaping the future," Turfe continued. "The dialogue we had today reinforced the necessity of continued collaboration, and I’m confident that, together, we can make a significant impact."

Turfe had previously endorsed Harris.

Jordan Acker, a Jewish lawyer and University of Michigan regent who had a masked pro-Palestinian protester approach his Huntington Woods home late at night and his law firm vandalized , also told the Free Press he was involved in the discussions with Jewish leaders as well.

"Kamala Harris is going to be the next president of the United States, which is why it is so important that her campaign came to Michigan and met with us today," he said. "These issues are critically important to our community and nationally and leading into the next administration. I appreciate the productive conversation, which I look forward to continuing throughout the campaign and into the transition."

State Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, also took part in the discussions with Jewish leaders.

"Today’s meeting demonstrates the importance of Jewish Americans to Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz as a crucial bloc for their win this November and as partners in the future administration," he said in a statement to the Free Press. "The campaign reaffirmed their commitment to tackling antisemitism — both at home from the far right and from those who threaten the safety and security of Israel. Our shared goals must be releasing the hostages, de-escalating the violence, and working toward lasting peace in the Middle East."

"I look forward to the continuing meaningful engagement with our community here, which is critical to a victory in Michigan," he said.

While the Harris campaign didn't directly speak to the content or makeup of the meetings, a spokesman, Ammar Moussa, acknowledged that they occurred. “Julie is traveling to Michigan as part of our campaign’s ongoing outreach to communities across the country," he told the Free Press on Thursday evening.

Siblani also did not say where the meeting he attended took place or who else was involved. A Democratic source who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private said Abbas Alawieh, who is an uncommitted delegate to the Democratic National Convention and one of the founders of the movement to use uncommitted delegates to push the Biden administration toward demanding a cease-fire, was expected to be a part of the meeting as well. Neither Turfe nor the Harris campaign named participants in the meetings.

The meetings come days ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which starts Monday. There, demonstrators are expected to march in support of calls for a cease-fire and U.S. arms embargo against Israel, which has been conducting military operations in Gaza, killing tens of thousands, since Hamas, which controlled Gaza, attacked southern Israel last October. Members of the Uncommitted National Movement, which has 30 delegates including two from Michigan to the convention, are asking for space to have pro-Palestinian programming and main stage speakers if they can get them. They also are planning to host a series of speakers outside the convention.

Harris and Walz also met briefly with Alawieh and Layla Elabed , another founder of the uncommitted movement in Dearborn, before a rally in metro Detroit a week ago and expressed an openness to future discussions.

Harris and Biden both have urged Israeli leaders to accept a cease-fire proposal, and for both sides to release prisoners and hostages. Biden administration officials, including Harris, so far have refused the idea of an arms embargo, however.

"We are frustrated that we're not hearing much from Harris herself," said Siblani, a leader in the Arab American community who has met with Rodriguez before when the then-Biden campaign sent officials to meet with leaders in Dearborn as well as Black community leaders in Detroit. "There is a frustration that has been building."

Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Harris campaign officials meet with Arab-American, Jewish leaders in Michigan ahead of DNC