Growing protests at universities are forcing US President Joe Biden to tread a careful line of criticizing anti-Semitism while supporting the right of young Americans to protest, trying to limit long-term political damage .
As violent police crackdowns and counter-protests face demonstrations spreading across U.S. campuses, Biden faces harsh criticism of his policy toward Israel from both the left and right.
Students from dozens of universities have gathered or camped out in recent days to oppose Israel's war in Gaza, demanding that institutions stop doing business with companies that support the war.
Anti-war protests and Biden's strong support for Israel have dogged the president since late last year and divided the Democratic Party. On Wednesday, 57 Democrats in Congress called on Biden to withhold aid to Israel in an attempt to prevent a planned attack on Rafah.
Biden aides privately dismiss the idea that the protests or their supporters could cost Biden the White House in November's presidential election. They point to the relatively small number of participants, compared to about 41 million “Gen Z” voters eligible to vote in 2024.
The White House has rolled out a series of policies favorable to young voters in recent days, issuing new student loan relief announcements and long-planned measures to reduce criminal penalties on marijuana, as well as condemning a new six-week abortion ban which took effect Wednesday in Florida.
Biden spoke rarely, and carefully, about the university protests. “I condemn the anti-Semitic protests,” he said on April 22. “I also condemn those who do not understand what is happening to the Palestinians.”
But, at least for the duration of the school year, the protests will not disappear. Republicans and conservative media seized on the issue to criticize Biden.
Some Democrats warn that young voters, who already dislike Biden, may abandon him over Israel.
More than 34,000 people have died in Gaza, according to local authorities, after Israeli strikes in retaliation for the Hamas offensive on October 7 that, according to Israel, killed 1,200 people.
The US is one of the main suppliers of military aid to Israel and has protected the country from critical votes at the United Nations.
Biden campaign research shows that the majority of 2024 voters, including young people, will choose a president based on issues such as the economy, not Gaza.
His youth-friendly policies aren't enough to guarantee support, said Elise Joshi, executive director of Gen-Z for Change, a group of young online political activists.
“I look favorably on the policies on marijuana reform and student debt, but the president has not spoken out on these protests, which is most important to young voters across the country,” Joshi said. “The White House is condemning students protesting, but we have heard nothing about those attacking protesters.”
“Raging lunatics”
Republicans, in turn, have used the protests to cast some Democrats as chaos merchants and anti-Semites.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday praised the New York police officers who stormed a Columbia University building occupied by pro-Palestinian students and called the protesters “raging lunatics.”
A Quinnipiac University poll last month found that 46% support aid to Israel for the war against Hamas and 44% oppose it. But among registered U.S. voters ages 18 to 34, just 25% supported aid to Israel and 66% opposed it.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll in March showed that Americans aged 18 to 29 favored Biden over Trump by just 3 percentage points – 29% to 26% – with the remainder favoring another candidate or unsure who. would receive your vote.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
