A contingent of Palestinian American community members declined an invitation from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken for an off-the-record conversation on Thursday, citing their perception of the Biden administration's complicity in what they deem as the ongoing "genocide" in Gaza.
The group expressed that accepting the invitation would be "insulting and performative," particularly given the escalating death toll and widespread human suffering in the besieged coastal enclave.
In a statement shared by the Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU) advocacy group, the community leaders declared, "After nearly four unbearable months of constant U.S.-enabled Israeli violence against our families, friends and other innocent civilians in Gaza and throughout Palestine, we cannot imagine what Secretary Blinken could have to say or discuss with us."
"President Biden could stop this horror with one phone call. Instead, this administration has bypassed Congress to rush more bombs to Israel to kill more Palestinian children, and on the very day the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel is plausibly committing genocide, the U.S. cut funding to UNRWA, the largest humanitarian organization in Gaza, based on unproven allegations by Israel regarding 0.09% of UNRWA employees in Gaza," they added.
They were referring to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
U.S. President Joe Biden has faced mounting criticism from key Democratic constituencies, including Arab and Muslim voters, ahead of November's presidential election, and the purpose of Thursday's meeting remains unclear.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the meeting with Palestinian American leaders took place Thursday, saying Blinken held it "because he thinks it’s important to hear directly from individuals, as I said, both inside the State Department and outside the State Department."
"He finds that process to be constructive. It informs his thinking. It helps him, he believes, shape policy in the best way possible, and he’ll continue to hold such meetings," Miller told reporters.
But, the majority of those who were invited to Thursday's discussion declined, according to IMEU.
U.S. President Joe Biden, Blinken and other senior officials have faced continued protests that have at times transpired outside of their residences and that have repeatedly disrupted the president's nationwide campaign events.
Thursday's public snub comes one day after a federal judge threw out a case against the Biden administration, charging it with failing to prevent and abetting a genocide in Gaza.
While he ruled to dismiss the case on jurisdictional grounds, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White pointed to a recent interim ruling from the International Court of Justice that allowed genocide charges against Israel to continue to be prosecuted because they are plausible.
"Court implores Defendants to examine the results of their unflagging support of the military siege against the Palestinians in Gaza," he stated, referring to the Biden administration.
The group that rebuffed Blinken said they "do not know what more Secretary Blinken or President Biden need to hear or see to compel them to end their complicity in this genocide."
"They show us every day whose lives they value and whose lives they consider disposable. We will not be attending this discussion, which can only amount to a box-ticking exercise. Our families, our community and all Palestinians deserve better," they added.
Israel launched its war against Gaza on Oct. 7 following a cross-border raid by the Palestinian group Hamas.
At least 27,019 Palestinians have been killed and 66,139 injured, mostly women and children.
Roughly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
