The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a nominating convention during which delegates of the Democratic Party vote to officially nominate a candidate for president and vice president to represent the party. This cycle’s convention was held in Chicago from August 19 to August 22, ending with Vice President Kamala Harris accepting the Democratic nomination for President. While the DNC is primarily held to vote on and announce the party’s nominee, it is also a platform for other party officials to voice their stances on relevant issues. This past week, one of the most prominent was the Israel-Palestine conflict, led by members of the Uncommitted Movement.
What is the Uncommitted Movement?
The Uncommitted Movement represents over 700,000 pro-Palestine voters who cast “uncommitted” votes during the Democratic presidential primary. The movement calls for a ceasefire and an end to U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza, most notably an arms embargo on Israel. They had requested speaking time at the DNC and a meeting with VP Harris’s campaign.
The DNC allowed the movement to speak at untelevised forums but they were refused a speaking slot on the main stage. In hopes of getting a call from the DNC, a group of 40 uncommitted delegates and supporters camped outside of the event’s venue and remained there for hours until its last day. Although the DNC was received well across the party and its supporters, some in the movement said “this level of silence and exclusion is deeply, deeply offensive to us.”
What Was the Palestinian Human Rights Panel at the DNC?
This election is the first year that a panel on Palestinian human rights was held. The Uncommitted Movement, though unable to speak on the main stage, pushed for the panel until it was approved. The panel featured experts, activists, and individuals with firsthand experience in the region. Some of the most prominent speakers were former Michigan Representative Andy Levin, Democratic Party organizer Hala Hijazi, and Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric surgeon who served in Gaza.
This panel was recognized as a historic moment allowing the discussion of the rights of Palestinians, but many labeled it as not enough, arguing that “a policy shift is the only thing that will accomplish a ceasefire.”
Who Else Did the DNC Host?
Regarding the topic of the Israel-Palestine conflict, Jon Polin and Rachel Golberg are the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old Israeli-American who was taken hostage after attending a music festival in southern Israel during the October 7 attack by Hamas. Polin and Goldberg were brought onto the main stage at the DNC and were greeted with huge cheers and chants saying “bring them home.” During their address to the assembly, they asserted that the return of the hostages was not an issue relating to politics, but to humanity. Polin expressed the importance of realizing a ceasefire deal that “brings this diverse group of 109 [Israeli] hostages home and ends the suffering of the innocent civilians in Gaza. The time is now.”
Where Does Harris Stand on the Israel-Palestine Conflict?
During her acceptance speech, Harris spoke about the war in Gaza. She expressed her support for a ceasefire, while also affirming a commitment to Israel’s security: “I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself, and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas caused on October 7.”
Harris also expressed her sympathies for the innocent lives lost in Gaza, and stated that President Biden and her are working to end the Gaza war so that “Israel is secure,” the Israeli hostages are released, “the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination.”
The Biden-Harris administration just sent its “500th aircraft to Israel” since October 7, along with over “50,000 tons of military equipment, both offensive and defensive.” More than 1,100 Israelis and 41,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began.
Further Reading:
- DNC Rejects Protesters’ Requests for Palestinian Speaker
- Parents of American Held by Hamas Appeal for Hostages Release During Democratic Convention
- Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Voice Opposition to War in Gaza as Delegates Leave DNC
- The Moment When Kamala Harris’s Speech Came Alive
- Harris Strikes Balance in Pointed DNC Remarks on War