Biden has lost young voter support in the handling of the conflict between Israel and Palestine and is desperately trying to win it back with.
By Kaia Mann, Opinion Editor
The Biden Administration's handling of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine is a disappointing mess that has prompted young voters to lose interest ahead of an important election year.
Over 80% of Palestine’s population has been displaced with approximately 1.4 million civilians residing in the country’s last refuge, Rafah. The men, women and children that have fled to the border of Egypt are over-packed and under-fed, and as Palestinians are facing a humanitarian crisis, Americans are gearing up for the upcoming election.
When political ideologies are not matched in potential candidates and the decision comes between two elderly, borderline senile men, It can be easy to disregard and give up on voting as a whole. While Biden is leading the democratic party, the overall voter turnout for primaries was low with reports saying around 30-35% actually made it to the polls. When voting for local representatives, their support of Palestine, or rather lack thereof, was a major deciding factor.
While international affairs are on the forefront of voters’ minds, Biden has continually vetoed calls for a ceasefire while requesting 14.3 billion dollars in financial aid for Israel. This money, which is most likely coming from taxpayers pockets, should not be used to support the violent siege of Palestine which has injured over 70,000 and killed more than 30,000 people of which at least half are women and children.
The divide between the two candidates is closing. A harrowing December 2023 poll showed 49% of voters aged 18-29 supported Trump while only 43% supported Biden.
Trump has remained largely neutral throughout his entire tenure. The little that he has said has been in support of Israel. The unfair and biased Middle East peace-plan released in 2018 was aligned with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. In said plan, Trump ignored Palestinian’s pleas, not providing a “right of return” for their refugees and keeping Jerusalem as the undivided Israeli capital.
As of February, Biden is leading in the support of young voters, but very narrowly. In 2020 Biden beat Trump by 20 percentage points in the support of Millenial and Gen-Z voters. As of late last year, Trump beat Biden by 4-6 points in voters under 35. The U.S. is once again in a situation where voters will have to choose between the lesser of two evils.
Throughout his entire political career Biden has been consistent in his support of Israel, recently referring to it as “rock solid and unwavering” following the October 7th attacks. He then diminished the Palestinian death toll, naming it a price of war and questioning its truthfulness. The white house reiterated this support after Israeli troops targeted unarmed Palestinians collecting aid, calling them close allies.
It wasn't until March 5th that The Biden Administration stopped cowering from the prospect of a “ceasefire” and Kamala Harris made calls for an immediate yet temporary truce. Humanitarian relief has been sent to Rafah but it is not the children dying of starvation prompting this aid, but the growing distaste of potential voters rearing its ugly head. Biden has begun to criticize the genocide of Palestinians but has yet to stop his contributions to their suffering.
The superficially supportive gestures the American government has begun making to the people of Palestine is an inch in the right direction but ultimately reads as an empty plea for voter support.