Kamala Harris meets with leaders from Muslim and Arab American communitiesIE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.Skip to ContentNBC News LogoTrump adminPoliticsLocalNew YorkLos AngelesChicagoDallas-Fort WorthPhiladelphiaWashington, D.C.BostonBay AreaSouth FloridaSan DiegoConnecticutU.S. NewsWorldBusinessEditors' picksShoppingTiplineSportsHealthScienceCulture & TrendsShare & Save —My NewsManage ProfileEmail PreferencesSign OutSearchSearchProfile My NewsSign Out Sign InCreate your free profileSectionsU.S. NewsDecision 2024PoliticsWorldBusinessSportsInvestigationsCulture & TrendsHealthScienceTech & MediaWeatherVideo FeaturesPhotosNBC SelectNBC Asian AmericaNBC BLKNBC LatinoNBC OUTLocalNew YorkLos AngelesChicagoDallas-Fort WorthPhiladelphiaWashington, D.C.BostonBay AreaSouth FloridaSan DiegoConnecticuttvTodayNightly NewsMSNBCMeet the PressDatelineFeaturedNBC News NowNightly FilmsStay TunedSpecial FeaturesNewslettersPodcastsListen NowMore From NBCCNBCNBC.COMNBCU AcademyPeacockNEXT STEPS FOR VETSNBC News Site MapHelpFollow NBC News news AlertsThere are no new alerts at this timeSearchSearchFacebookTwitterEmailSMSPrintWhatsappRedditPocketFlipboardPinterestLinkedinLatest StoriesTrump adminPoliticsU.S. NewsWorldBusinessEditors' picksShoppingTiplineSportsHealthScienceCulture & TrendsIsrael-Hamas warHarris meets with leaders from Muslim and Arab American communitiesThe meeting comes as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to spill into a larger regional conflict.Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to speak during a campaign rally at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Mich., on Friday.Carolyn Kaster / AP / Updated By Nnamdi Egwuonwu, Megan Lebowitz and Alex Seitz-WaldFLINT, Mich. — Vice President Kamala Harris met with leaders from the Muslim and Arab American community ahead of her campaign rally here on Friday, a campaign official said.During the meeting, Harris heard leaders' perspectives on the election, as well as the wars in Gaza and Lebanon, the official said. The vice president "expressed her concern over the scale of suffering in Gaza" and "expressed concern about civilian casualties and displacement" in Lebanon, the official said. "The vice president discussed her efforts to end the war in Gaza, such that: Israel is secure, hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, self-determination," the official said, echoing a sentiment that Harris has previously expressed when discussing the war. The Israel-Hamas war is threatening to spill into a larger regional conflict as Israel launched strikes in Lebanon that killed the leader of Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., and Iran fired missiles at Israel. The war has ignited criticism from some progressives in the U.S. over the Biden administration’s relationship with Israel. Harris has emphasized that she stands by Israel’s right to defend itself after the Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7. At the same time, she has said that Gaza’s “scale of suffering is heartbreaking.” Harris' meeting comes a day after her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, met virtually with Emgage Action, a Muslim political organizing group. The CEO of Emgage Action, Wa'el Alzayat, who also attended Friday's meeting with Harris, released a statement saying that the group "called on Vice President Harris to do everything in her power, should she win, to end the war and reset US policy in the region.""Emgage Action also reiterated the organization and the Muslim community's disappointment in the handling of the crisis that has endangered the wellbeing of our communities at home and is now widening to a broader regional war," Alzayat's statement continued.He added that his group asked Harris "to impress upon President Biden the urgency of bringing an immediate end to the violence."Emgage endorsed Harris in September, despite saying that "the vice president still has a ways to go" on certain issues.On Wednesday, Phil Gordon, a national security adviser for the vice president, met virtually with Muslim, Arab and Palestinian leaders from across the country, according to a source familiar with the planning.Gordon underscored Biden administration’s efforts to bring the war in Gaza to an end through a cease-fire and hostage release deal, which he said would relieve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the source said. He also expressed concern for civilians in Lebanon.Also, on Tuesday the campaign launched its “Arab Americans for Harris-Walz” coalition group.The Biden administration's handling of the Israel-Hamas war led some Muslim voters and groups to declare that they would "abandon Biden" ahead of his decision to drop out of the race, and the pro-Palestinian Uncommitted Movement has refused to endorse Harris.Nnamdi EgwuonwuNnamdi Egwuonwu is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.Megan LebowitzMegan Lebowitz is a politics reporter for NBC News.Alex Seitz-WaldAlex Seitz-Wald is a senior political reporter for NBC News. AboutContactHelpCareersAd ChoicesPrivacy PolicyYour Privacy ChoicesCA NoticeTerms of Service (Updated JULY 7, 2023)NBC News SitemapClosed CaptioningAdvertiseSelect Shopping© 2025 NBCUniversal Media, LLCNBC News LogoMSNBC LogoToday Logo
The vice president “expressed her concern over the scale of suffering in Gaza” and “expressed concern about civilian casualties and displacement” in Lebanon, the official said.

“The vice president discussed her efforts to end the war in Gaza, such that: Israel is secure, hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, self-determination,” the official said, echoing a sentiment that Harris has previously expressed when discussing the war.

I’m glad she had the meetings, and I hope they help dial down the temperature within certain groups within intent. If the goal was to be heard that has now happened. Now it becomes time to trust that she says what she means and stop expecting the impossible.