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The Democratic National Convention closed amid balloons at Chicago’s United Center, in a jubilant atmosphere as the new presidential candidate and her running mate, joined by their families, smiled and waved to party delegates. But the celebratory mood was not universal: Those who had hoped that the Democratic Party would show even a hint of recognition of the suffering and genocide endured by Palestinians since Israel launched its brutal war on Gaza more than 10 months ago were ultimately alienated by the party’s cowardice. Long before Harris took the stage, it was clear that they would be left out, on the sidelines. Where these voters will go is anyone’s guess, but their trajectory certainly does not seem to be one of enthusiastic support for Kamala Harris.
“Democrats in my party have been attacked by balloons, children, families and people I love have been attacked by bombs,” Asma Mohammed, a delegate who did not take a stance, told Al Jazeera. Thursday Nighttears streaming down her cheeks. “I thought so too.”
That seemed to be the theme for much of the week: positive vibes and celebration, with anything that might dampen the mood excluded. Around the city of Chicago, protesters chanted and marched, calling attention to the Palestinians and the war in Gaza, but they were safely sequestered a few blocks away from the convention. When the two sides did cross paths, some Harris delegates made it clear they didn’t want to hear it, with one high-profile example being when attendees were spotted leaving the third night of the Feast of Love cover In their ears, protesters read out the names of Gazans killed by Israel.
Democratic National Convention attendees covered their ears as they left the convention after hearing the names of dead Palestinian children pic.twitter.com/9bueCbFeEr
— Breaking News (@BTnewsroom) August 22, 2024
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. In fact, the four-day session began with a lot of optimism as Democrats made time and space on Monday to An unprecedented team Discuss Palestinian human rights with Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, who worked in Gaza during the war, James Zogby, an Arab American and former Democratic National Committee member, and Layla Elabed, co-chair of the Uncommitted National Movement. The optimism would not last. That night, the party would send a different message.
Three representatives attempted to Expand Deputies grabbed the banner and covered it with a sign that read “Stop Arming Israel.” One of them, a Muslim woman wearing a headscarf named Nadia Ahmed, was shot in the head These signsParty officials have not yet said anything on the matter, although Ahmed has submitted a complain In partnership with Chicago Police.
“They were there talking about fascism and hitting me over the head with an ‘I Love Joe’ sign. It was not a good thing,” Ahmed told Miami Herald.
Biden did acknowledge the pro-Palestinian protests, saying, “They have a point. A lot of innocent people have been killed on both sides.”
“My secretary of state and I are working around the clock to prevent the war from expanding, to reunite the hostages with their families, and to immediately send additional humanitarian assistance, medical care, and food aid to Gaza,” Biden said. “To end the civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and finally, finally, finally achieve a ceasefire in this war.” explain It was the line that earned him the loudest applause Monday night.
But the Gaza war was only mentioned in passing every day of the convention, with a focus on the hostages held by Hamas. Meanwhile, away from the convention, a T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Free Gaza” was too much for Democrats at a rally in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Yale Law School graduate Leah Fessler came out to show support for the nominee and her running mate, Tim Walz, at an event where she was to speak.* She also wanted to show support for Palestine through a T-shirt rather than a protest. She would eventually be forcibly removed for the bland statement her clothing made.
“I just don’t understand how they can say publicly that they want pro-Palestinian people to join their movement,” Fessler told me by phone Friday morning. She didn’t yell or interrupt the rally, even at one point covering her shirt with a Wisconsin Democratic Party sweatshirt she had brought with her.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is one of the few Muslim speakers in Chicago. Tell On Wednesday night, cheers rang out from the crowd, “Friends, they agree with us” that a ceasefire must be put in place to stop the loss of innocent lives in Gaza and bring the hostages home.
Significantly, the biggest acknowledgement of the loss of Palestinian life came from the parents of the Gaza captives, Jon Polin and his wife, Rachel Goldberg-Polin. Tell “Against the backdrop of tensions in the Middle East, we know the one thing that would most quickly ease pressure and bring hope to the entire region is an agreement that brings these 109 hostages home and ends the suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza. The time is now,” the delegates said.
That night, delegates from the No Commitment Movement Request a few months During one night of the convention, they sought a speaker to represent them, but their request was denied. They listed a number of speakers, including a doctor who had been to Gaza and a Palestinian American who fully supported Harris. One speaker, Palestinian-American Georgia legislator Ruwa Roman, even Censored Speech Everything was in place — including a non-controversial call for party unity and a pledge to block Trump from the White House in November.
The group will hold a sit-in overnight outside the United Center in the vain hope that organizers will spare a few minutes for Palestinian Americans to speak and give voice to the conflict. SquadProgressives in Congress have been the most outspoken supporters of Palestine. Democrats emergeCalls for the party to add a Palestinian spokesperson — including Ellison, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and even Sen. Elizabeth WarrenShe made the call herself.
They will be ignored. Ian Sams, a Harris campaign adviser Some vague claims were made to CNN: “Well, I think we gave them a lot of opportunities at the convention to be a part of the process,” Roman said. deliver She gave a brief two-minute speech on the street.
Rep. Ruwa Romman read out the speech she would have delivered at the Democratic National Convention if she and other Palestinian Americans had not been denied the opportunity to speak. pic.twitter.com/FCoJTMEF7u
— Noah Lanard (@nlanard) August 23, 2024
Ultimately, between the Republican and Democratic conventions, only one party had an Arab American speaker: the Republican Party, whose spokesperson was Trump’s lawyer. He has a Habaan Iraqi-American, did not mention the Palestinians.
Members of the No Commitment Movement — and more broadly Muslims, Arab Americans, and other people of conscience — are asking Democrats to give the Palestinians a modicum of recognition for their humanity and suffering, a party that does not recognize the Palestinians as a nicknameputting Palestinians on stage at so-called “big tent” events. To the party rank and file, it won’t be nearly as foreign as Teamsters’ Sean O’Brien showing up at the Republican National Convention. Fesler said the rank and file does in fact support Palestine.
“I respect Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and others who are standing up for our country and standing up against genocide, and I feel like the Democrats are about to lose a ton of votes, and I’m not happy about that,” she told me.
Finally, Harris’ speech Calling for an end to “this war so that Israel is safe, the hostages are freed, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their rights to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination.” While the position may sound revolutionary, the rhetoric is old: U.S. President Barack Obama Stronger speechin Israel, more than ten years ago.
Decades ago, Democrats used to ignore the Palestinian cause. This publication was once the standard-bearer of Democratic orthodoxy and, under its longtime owner Martin Peretz, it was staunchly pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian. But those days are long gone, and the following Palestinian voices Youssef Munayel, Leila El-Haddadand Omar Shaaban The magazine even published a rare editorial calling for an end to Weapons shipment to Israel April. In the United States, Public opinion has shifted In the same direction—quite quickly, in fact.
The New Republic Over the years, the Democratic Party has come to new conclusions about the Palestinian issue. Although many of the Democratic Party’s elected officials Officials The Democratic Party as an institution remains out of touch with public sentiment and moral authority — and with Kamala Harris as its presidential candidate, hopes of changing that have diminished significantly. Ultimately, this was the decision she should have been able to make: a few minutes of thank-yous to solidify support, get everyone at the convention on board, and regain confidence looking forward to November.
A major theme of this year’s convention was a phrase repeated by many speakers: “We will not back down.” Arab Americans, Muslims and other Palestinian supporters wanted Democrats to insist that they would not back down on Palestine, either. Their inability to pass that minimum bar was not a good sign.
* This article originally incorrectly identified the Harris/Waltz speech as Fessler’s first political event.
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