Pro-Palestinian protesters take part in a rally and march to commemorate the 76th anniversary of Nakba Day in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Wednesday, May 18, 2024. (Photo: Michael Nigro/Sipa USA)
As the Democratic National Convention begins in Chicago this week, pro-Palestinian groups are preparing to make their voices heard.
In addition to the groups planning protests outside the convention, 30 DNC delegates from the Uncommitted movement will call for an arms embargo on Israel and an end to the war in Gaza.
The group Uncommitted owes its name to its refusal to support Harris in her election campaign unless she declares her support for an arms embargo against Israel. Its members were previously met with Harris to convince them to support an arms embargo against Israel.
Although Uncommitted is not calling for protests, the organization is using its delegates to push for speaking opportunities at the gathering and to pressure Harris to comment on U.S. arms sales to Israel.
Another group, Delegates Against Genocide, has also pledged to demonstrate its support for an arms embargo against the Jewish state during the convention by displaying Palestinian flags, wearing Palestinian scarves, and speaking to delegates on the convention floor.
Pro-Palestinian delegates have said they want to play a more significant role in shaping the party’s platform and hope to use Chicago’s large Palestinian population to voice their views during the convention.
Liano Sharon, a business consultant and delegate who advocates for an alternative platform, said delegates would “make sure our voices are heard.”
Many Palestinian Democrats are angry that the party’s official program calls for an “immediate and permanent ceasefire” and the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, but makes no mention of the number of Palestinian deaths.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza recently claimed that the death toll in Gaza has reached nearly 41,000 since the war began on October 7. However, these figures cannot be independently verified and the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and Hamas terrorists.
The ministry also believes that every Palestinian who dies in Gaza – whether as a result of Israeli attacks or as a result of Hamas’s actions in the fight against Israel – is Israel’s fault.
On Sunday evening, a group of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through downtown Chicago ahead of the DNC opening ceremony.
According to CBS News, the pro-Palestinian protesters joined another march initiated by a coalition of feminist and LGBT organizations called “Bodies Outside of Unjust Laws.” However, as more pro-Palestinian supporters joined the march, it became more focused on the Palestinian cause.
On Sunday evening, at least one pro-Palestinian protester disrupted the DNC delegate party at Navy Pier in Chicago by shouting, “The Harris administration continues to fund Israel.”
Last week, the US State Department announced that it had approved $20 billion in future arms sales to Israel to help Israel prepare for an expected attack by Iran and its terrorist proxies.
Harris has so far resisted calls for an arms embargo.
