Whitmer cancels Dearborn visit after Arab American group planned protest

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer canceled her plans to speak at a Muslim-led health clinic's fundraiser in Dearborn over the weekend after an Arab American group threatened to protest the event over her support of Israel. Whitmer also announced her office is working with members of Congress to help Michigan residents stuck in Gaza come back home.

Whitmer was scheduled to speak Sunday afternoon at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center at the 19th annual fundraising event of the HUDA (Health Unit on Davison Avenue) Clinic, a free health clinic in Detroit founded by Muslim leaders that serves all communities.

On Saturday night, some Arab American advocates say they learned of her scheduled talk and called for a protest because of Whitmer's strong support for Israel, which was attacked on Oct. 7 by Hamas. At about 1:30 am Sunday, Amer Zahr, a Dearborn attorney and Palestinian American activist who often leads rallies for Palestinians as president of New Generation for Palestine, posted on Facebook a call to his 216,000 followers for people to protest at 12:30 pm outside the fundraiser. It contained a poster with Whitmer's photo, reading: "Whitmer Not Welcome in Dearborn." New Generation for Palestine is a Palestinian American group that often holds rallies for Palestinians in metro Detroit.

"We've been very disturbed by Whitmer's unequivocal support of Israel, her unwillingness to call for a ceasefire," Zahr told the Free Press Monday. "We have a clear stance that politicians who are not calling for at least an immediate ceasefire, and an end to the occupation, should not be welcomed in our communities until they do. And so we decided to call for an emergency protest, because it was happening the next day."

Zahr stressed that he is not opposed to the HUDA clinic and the Bint Jebail Cultural Center, which is named after a city in southern Lebanon where many in Dearborn have roots in and has seen fights with Israeli forces over the decades.

On Sunday, Whitmer released a statement that praised the HUDA clinic but said she didn't want to be a distraction. The statement did not say why specifically she canceled and did not mention the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Unfortunately, my attendance tonight would have distracted from the clinic’s fundraiser," Whitmer said. "After speaking with HUDA leadership, we came to a decision together that I should not go."

Whitmer added: "I will use the time to call members of our congressional delegation as we keep working together to bring families stuck in Gaza back home to Michigan."

A metro Detroit couple, Zakaria Alarayashi and his wife, Laila Alarayshi, are currently stuck in Gaza, according to a federal lawsuit filed earlier this month in Detroit.

The HUDA clinic posted a statement Sunday on Instagram that said: "In the interest of not detracting from all the good that HUDA clinic provides to our southeastern Michigan community, Governor Whitmer will NOT be in attendance at our fundraiser."

Whitmer said the state would continue to collaborate with the clinic.

"Started by Michigan’s Muslim-American community, they serve anyone and everyone who walks through their doors," Whitmer said. "They make a real difference in countless people’s lives. Today’s event—their 19th annual fundraiser—was a celebration of their work. I was honored to have been invited and given the opportunity to share a few words about our mutual mission for a healthier, happier Michigan."

More: Thousands pack Michigan synagogue to support Israel as Whitmer rallies crowd

About 54% of the residents of Dearborn are Arab American, the highest percentage among municipalities in the U.S., and the city has a long history of hosting protests against Israel.

The cancelation illustrates the frustration some in Dearborn's Arab American community have felt towards elected officials who are supporting Israel. Whitmer, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, Attorney General Dana Nessel, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit, and several state legislators attended a pro-Israel rally in a Southfield synagogue held two days after Hamas' attacks.

"We stand with Israel," Whitmer told the crowd of about 2,500. "And Israel has a right to defend itself."

The next day, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan also expressed support, saying on the Mitch Albom show: "I think our community stands strongly with Israel. And the images we've seen of the massacres, the violence from Hamas is something the world should just be against.”

More: Metro Detroit Arab, Jewish communities mourn, rally amid violence in Middle East

At an Oct. 10 rally in Dearborn, Osama Siblani, publisher of the Arab American News, and other speakers railed against Democrats who supported Israel.

Some Arab American leaders have said the Democrats' support for Israel will hurt them in upcoming elections. It's unclear what effect it may have. There are more than 310,000 residents in Michigan with Middle Eastern ancestry, a category that includes Israelis and Chaldeans, who are Iraqi Catholics, according to census data released last month.

While many in Michigan's Middle Eastern population are critical of Israel, some, such as those in Iraqi and Lebanese Christian communities, have expressed support. Iraqi Americans are the largest Middle Eastern group in Michigan and a majority of those are Iraqi Christian groups such as Chaldeans and Assyrians, according to census data. The Arab American Institute said it will release a poll Tuesday showing decreased support for Biden among Arab Americans.

Democratic politicians on the November 2022 ballot did have decreased support in heavily Muslim precincts in Dearborn after there was a backlash against Democrats' support of LGBTQ books, according to an analysis of the results.

Zahr said that he and others may urge people to continue voting for elected officials such as U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, whose district includes Dearborn, but not for politicians such as President Joe Biden who don't call for a cease-fire.

"Elected officials who refuse to call for a ceasefire … who unequivocally support Israel, are not welcome in our communities until they fully see the humanity of Palestinians," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com, Facebook.com/nwarikoo or X @nwarikoo

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Governor Whitmer cancels Dearborn talk after Arab American protest