That is why Biden's Iftar event at the White House was canceled.

White House has canceled US President Joe Biden's iftar during the holy month of Ramadan. Some Muslim Americans declined his invitation to protest Biden's support for the Gaza war. Due to which the event had to be cancelled. Al-Jazeera news.

Two sources familiar with the matter told Al-Jazeera on condition of anonymity that Tuesday's iftar event has been cancelled. Earlier, members of the Muslim community cautioned leaders against attending the White House event.

Edward Ahmed Mitchell, deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said the cancellation of the Iftar event was because many of the invitees did not want to attend. Some of the guests initially agreed to participate in the event.

Ahmed Mitchell told Al-Jazeera that the American Muslim community has long said the White House actively supports the Israeli government in Gaza by starving and attacking the Palestinian people. So eating with him would be unacceptable at once.

Both CNN and NPR reported Monday that the White House is preparing to host an iftar for the Muslim community.

Hours after the news broke, the White House announced on Tuesday that it was not hosting an iftar; Instead, it will host a banquet just for Muslim government employees and arrange separate meetings with Muslim American community leaders.

The cancellation of the White House Iftar event underscores the fact that he is trying to control growing anger among the Arab and Muslim communities in the United States over President Biden's unconditional support for Israel.

Critics have warned that anger among Arab-American and Muslim communities in the United States could spell danger for Biden in the country's November presidential election.

For more than two decades, US presidents have hosted iftars with influential Muslim American representatives. The fact that Iftar is held at the White House during the holy month of Ramadan is a reflection of the hosting of other religious and cultural events there. Such events evoke a sense of celebration among local Muslim communities and are traditionally open to journalists.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met with Muslim community leaders on Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre confirmed. When asked why the community leaders would not attend the Iftar, the spokesperson said that they had requested to hold a meeting instead of the Iftar.

"They (Muslim leaders) want to make sure there are opportunities to discuss different issues," Jean-Pierre told reporters. They thought it would be important to arrange a meeting. So we listened (to them) and adjusted the system.'

However, some Muslim American rights activists said the meeting would be a "photo opportunity" together. According to them, the people of the Muslim community have been informing their position for six months.

"How many meetings we've had, how many people have gone, how many talks are going on - these are not important. The White House refuses to change policy," said Mohammad Habeh, director (development) of the American Muslims for Palestine.

Mohammad Habeh insists that President Biden cannot claim to care about the Muslim American community until he stops supporting Israel.

Al-Jazeera's Kehabeh said, "The pictures they are taking together, meeting each other—somehow they have been told that they have the support of the Muslim community." It's just a sentimental effort to keep their color clear.'

The White House chooses who it meets with

Rights activists say an important aspect of such negotiations is how the White House determines who meets with the president.

A Muslim adviser close to the Biden administration provided a list of Palestinian American leaders acceptable to meet with the president at the White House last year, a source told Al-Jazeera. But the government excluded those leaders from the list of invited guests.

In 2020, Biden was endorsed by Emgaz, a Muslim political consulting group. They say they were invited to meet the President and Vice President on Tuesday. However, they refused to attend the meeting because of the unconditional support of the US for Israel and the increasing loss of life in Gaza.

"At this time of heartache and pain, we urge the White House to cancel the Iftar event and convene a proper policy-making meeting; where the Muslim community will elect its representatives, the White House No.'