Muslim Group ‘Commends’ Trump, Blames Biden

President Joe Biden (C) delivers remarks on the not too long ago introduced cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas whereas joined by Vice President Kamala Harris (L) and Secretary of State Antony Blinken within the Cross Corridor of the White Home on January 15, 2025, in Washington, D.C. | Supply: Anna Moneymaker / Getty

A outstanding Muslim civil rights and advocacy group credited President-elect Donald Trump for the ceasefire deal reached on Wednesday between the Hamas militant group and Israel that’s anticipated to halt greater than a yr of battle in Gaza that’s killed tens of hundreds of Palestinians.

On the similar time, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) positioned blame on President Joe Biden, who it mentioned “value lives by refusing to pressure ceasefire way back.”

Referencing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, CAIR spoke out as Biden additionally gave Trump at the least partial credit score for the ceasefire within the newest demonstration of Democrats extending an obvious olive department to a Republican faction that faces credible accusations of fascism.

“We welcome this lengthy overdue ceasefire deal, which President Biden ought to have compelled Netanyahu to just accept over a yr in the past as a substitute of needlessly funding a lot loss of life and destruction,” CAIR Nationwide Govt Director Nihad Awad mentioned in a press release. “We commend President Trump for pushing for a ceasefire deal and reportedly warning Netanyahu that Israel, too, would face penalties for persevering with to refuse to make a deal.”

Awad appealed to Trump’s incoming administration to verify the ceasefire stays in place earlier than including later: “The Biden administration’s legacy is soaked with the blood of numerous Palestinian males, ladies, and kids, in addition to an untold variety of captives who’ve additionally been killed in Israel’s indiscriminate bombing marketing campaign with U.S. assist.”

The assist from CAIR comes regardless of Trump’s obvious Islamophobia and beforehand acknowledged assist for a “Muslim ban” within the U.S. as a part of a broader immigration technique that failed.

Trump, in fact, shortly took sole credit score for the ceasefire that was negotiated partly by Biden’s administration, together with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Their names had been nowhere to be discovered as Trump falsely claimed victory for himself.

“This EPIC ceasefire settlement might have solely occurred because of our Historic Victory in November, because it signaled to your entire World that my Administration would search Peace and negotiate offers to make sure the security of all People, and our Allies,” Trump mentioned in a press release launched on his Reality Social community.

Trump’s assertion contrasted with Biden’s, which mentioned partly that the ceasefire was “the outcome not solely of the acute stress that Hamas has been beneath and the modified regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening of Iran — but in addition of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy. My diplomacy by no means ceased of their efforts to get this accomplished.”

Nonetheless, Biden did say that his administration had been working with Trump “For the previous few days” and “talking as one staff.”

The ceasefire additionally contains close by Egypt and Qatar.

The battle in Gaza proved to be a significant factor within the 2024 election, with a large faction of “uncommitted” voters who refused to solid ballots for Biden and his administration’s continued monetary and diplomatic assist of Israel and its “genocide” in opposition to Palestinians.

The decades-long battle in Gaza flared again up in October 2023 when Hamas launched a lethal militant assault at a music pageant in Israel. The following violence included kidnappings on each side. The phrases of the ceasefire have provisions to convey these hostages house. It’s unclear how lengthy the method will take for the ceasefire to take impact.