Protesters outside the Israeli Consulate on Tuesday (August 20, 2024) while the DNC is taking place near the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. | Photo credit: AFP
Although there are only a few out of thousands of delegates, representatives of the non-committal movement Democratic National Convention (DNC) are among the most vocal.
Delegates plan to express their dissatisfaction with the war on Gaza at the party’s convention in Chicago. Vice President Kamala Harris He will formally accept the Democratic Party’s nomination in a close race for the White House.
The 30 “Uncommitted Movement” delegates are from eight different US states and claim to represent around 7,00,000 voters.
Although he welcomed the news of President Joe Biden’s exit from the race on July 21, he has treated Ms Harris’ subsequent ascension with caution and skepticism.
“The party needs change,” said Rep. Asma Mohammed of Minnesota. “I don’t hold grudges about someone who has unapologetically supported a genocidal government in Israel.” Ms. Mohammed came to Chicago hoping to see a new approach within her party, but said she was disappointed that the conference featured no pro-Palestinian voices on the list of speakers.
“I know she (Harris) is more empathetic than Joe Biden, I’ve seen that,” Ms. Mohammed said. “But words are not enough. Then there needs to be policy.”
The Uncommitted Movement advocated for the inclusion of Tanya Haj-Hassan on the list of speakers, as they wanted the thousands of attendees to hear from a doctor who has treated victims of the conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza.
However, so far the event has only allowed one panel at the McCormick Center, outside the main venue. During the panel, a pediatrician described the horrors of war, bringing tears to the eyes of the audience.
Speakers scheduled for the DNC include some relatives of the 251 people taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, when it sparked the conflict by attacking Israel. “Why does it have to be one or the other?” Ms. Mohammed asked. For her, there is room for both sides to be heard.
Representative Jacob Schoenberger, a 17-year-old from Connecticut, is not part of the Uncommitted Movement but shares similar sentiments. He arrived at the convention wearing a button with a slogan in support of Israel.
“I think it should be a leadership decision … I have my own personal beliefs, but I think it’s important to have both sides,” he said.
In addition to the “uncommitted movement”, protests also took place outside the convention venue, the United Center, where hundreds of people chanted “Free Palestine!”
Some delegates inside the arena covered their mouths as Mr Biden delivered his speech on Monday night, a gesture in protest of his response to the war in Gaza.
“We wanted to send the message that we don’t agree with what Biden is doing,” said Rep. Sabrine Odeh, from Washington state.
While the DNC is underway, Mr Biden’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken is on a tour of West Asia as part of a fresh effort to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Mr Biden acknowledged discontent over the deaths in Gaza during his speech on Monday night.
Yaz Kader, another Washington delegate, was less than enthused. “The truth is that he has been a president who has supported the genocide that Israel is committing,” he said.