Progressive Muslim challenges incumbent in US Congress over Gaza policies

Imraan Siddiqi, the son of Indian immigrants to the US, has been involved in civil rights most of his life -- from seeing racial inequality in the South to the post 9/11 era to the Muslim ban under the last administration. But he says it was the US support for Israel's ongoing war on Gaza that made him want to run for Congress.

As executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in the state of Washington, Siddiqi has been inundated with reports of anti-Muslim bias since Israel's war on Gaza began in October (he is taking a sabbatical from his position at CAIR to run for office). In addition, he was living in a district where the representative, Kim Schrier, a Democrat, was not vocally advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza.

"I wasn't anticipating running in 2024, but the situation in Gaza has impacted our community. This is a moment where people of conscience all over the world are standing up," Siddiqi told The New Arab on Wednesday, the day his campaign officially launched.

Since 7 October, when Hamas led a surprise attack on Israel, killing around 1,150 Israeli civilians and military personnel; Israeli land, sea, and air attacks throughout the besieged costal enclave have killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The majority of the densely populated enclave has been displaced and a lack of access to aid is leading to widespread famine.

So far, nearly 100 members of Congress have called for a ceasefire in Gaza, including at least three from the state of Washington. Shrier is not among them. In fact, she voted to defund UNRWA, the Palestinian relief agency, reasons for Siddiqi to take his chance in this Democratic primary in August.

"People are dissatisfied, particularly in the district where I'm running. We were told we'd have to vote for Kim Shrier to maintain the Democratic [seat]. They're putting pressure on minorities because the alternative is so horrible," he said.

"When you look at the reality on the ground, there has really been callousness towards Muslim constituents," he added.

Siddiqi's interest in civil rights started as a child growing up in the southeast, where he wrote opinion pieces for different newspapers. He eventually made his way to Arizona, where he joined the board of CAIR and later became executive director of the organisation's Arizona chapter. 

In Arizona, he joined with Hispanic civil rights advocates to oppose the border wall being advanced by then-president Donald Trump. He was also a plaintiff in the first lawsuit against Trump's Muslim ban.
"I've stood in the face of hate. I feel I'm up to the challenge," Siddiqi said.

In addition to his platform on civil rights, he said he also wants to focus on affordable housing, healthcare and income inequality. If elected, he would be the first Muslim of Indian descent to serve in the US Congress.