Democratic Arab-American mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, slams Biden's 'strange' decision to speak on Gaza ceasefire while licking ice cream as he votes AGAINST the president in primary

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud was unimpressed with President Joe Biden's 'strange' comments about an Israel-Hamas cease fire – which the president delivered while enjoying a scoop of ice cream with comedian Seth Meyers.

Hammoud, 33, called out Biden shortly before casting his vote for 'uncommitted' rather than the leader of his party at a Dearborn polling place, as part of a protest movement that could cause the president trouble in battleground Michigan.

'I think I find it strange that you're eating ice cream at a parlor - that is the moment that you talk about a cease fire coming forward,' he told DailMail.com when asked about the president's latest comments.

He then referenced Benjamin Netanyahu's statements about having a plan to invade Rafah inside Gaza.

'I don't look to lip service or words. I'm looking for action. You want a long lasting, permanent and just cease fire. We don't want a return to the status quo of occupation and apartheid, of bombardment, of besiegement, of devastation and destruction for the Palestinian people. And that means establishing a just Palestinian state,' he said. 

'I think I find it strange that you're eating ice cream at a parlor - that is the moment that you talk about a cease fire coming forward,' said Dearborn, Michigan Mayor Abdullah Hammoud

He wasn't the only figure to criticize the venue. 'That's a big announcement from the president to be given in an ice cream shop,' said CNN's Jake Tapper after video emerged of Biden's comments at a New York City ice cream shop.

Hammoud is one of the leading figures pushing to boost the vote for 'uncommitted' Biden to try to force a policy change. He is Dearborn's first Arab-American and first Muslim mayor. The diverse city is critical to Biden's ability to hang onto Michigan, a state he won in 2020 but lost to Donald Trump in 2016.

Biden's comment suggested progress and appeared to surprise Israel and Qatar, who has helped mediate talks over after Hamas took more than 200 hostages during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack inside Israel that killed.

'Well I hope by the beginning of the weekend, I mean the end of the weekend,' Biden responded to a reporter's question about a cease fire while holding an ice cream cone. 'My national security advisor says we're close, we're not done yet. My hope is by next Monday, we'll have a ceasefire.' 

Earlier Tuesday, 'Squad' member Rashida Tlaib voted for 'uncommitted' rather the Biden, as she blasted policies she said had the U.S. funding 'genocide.'

President Joe Biden spoke about talks for a temporary cease fire while having ice cream with 'Late Night' host Seth Meyers in New York Monday

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) cast her vote for 'uncommitted' rather than for President Joe Biden as she accused the U.S. of aiding 'genocide' against the Palestinians. She posted a video after voting

Tlaib posted a video on X as she walked away from a polling place, on a day when numerous Arab American voters followed the lead of activists pushing the 'uncommitted' vote on the Demoratic ballot as a way to deliver a message the Israel-Hamas war and demand a ceasefire.  

'I was proud today to walk in and pull a Democratic ballot and vote uncommitted,' the Michigan Democrat and Palestinian American lawmaker said in video, which she shot from below while walking.

'President Biden is not hearing us. This is the way we can use our democracy to say "listen. Listen to Michigan,"' she said, using the slogan of one of the groups pushing the effort.

'No more wars. No more using our dollars to fund a genocide,' she said. 

Backers of the effort say they have set a goal of 10,000 people choosing  'uncommitted' on the ballot.

Some Biden allies say the effort could send a message without harming the 81 year old presidents. Others say it could endanger his prospects in a state he needs to win to defeat Donald Trump. 

Numerous Arab American voters who DailyMail.com spoke to at a polling place in Dearborn Michigan said they were backing the 'uncommitted' effort, with some saying they were so furious with Biden that they would support Donald Trump.

Jamileh Karkaba is a driving instructor who immigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon decades ago. 

Jamileh Karkaba is a driving instructor who immigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon, said Biden 'is doing nothing for us,' and plans to switch her support to Donald Trump after voting 'uncommitted'

Issat Tahan, a plumber who is originally from Jerusalem, whispered to a reporter that he had voted for Biden and wasn't for 'uncommitted'

Michigan's primary is Tuesday. Biden has minimal opposition but is contending with the protest movement

Especially in Hamtramck and Dearborn, where there are large numbers of Arab-Americans, many voters planned to vote ''uncommitted in the Democratic primary.

'I want Republicans now, because Biden is not doing nothing for us,' she said. 'He's helping Israel to kill our people.'

She said she came to vote uncommitted on the Democratic ballot, but will pull the lever for Trump in November, saying she was 'so comfortable' when he was in office.

But she's at a loss for words discussing Trump's Muslim ban from 2016, which she says bothers her.

'I don't know what to say about that, but I'm against it.' 

Issat Tahan, a plumber who is originally from Jerusalem, came back and whispered to a reporter that he had voted for Biden

'I don't believe in "uncommitted." I have my opinion. Even on the war that is killing thousands, 'He did his best. He can't do anything about it,' he said. 

He said he liked how Biden was calling for a temporary cease fire. 'Thank god - he'll stop the war,' he said.