Love and joy permeated the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, save for a minor skirmish in the busiest section of the packed United Center. A Muslim delegate holding a sign reading “Stop Arming Israel” during President Biden’s speech was purposely hit by another audience member’s “We Love Joe” sign.
The internal conflict that has arisen within the party is much deeper, but it is not the only one that the Democrats are experiencing as a result of the war between Israel and Hamas.
A new wave of joy and an old sense of despair are co-existing among Democrats, who are encouraged by the arrival of the Harris-Walz ticket but deeply upset by the party’s inaction on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The happiness felt by many Harris supporters about the new campaign contrasts with the anger and betrayal they have felt about US policy in Israel.
Let's call it the enigma of joy.
President Biden speaks Monday at the Democratic National Convention at the United Center.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
For those who want an end to the war, the impulse to celebrate Kamala Harris’s candidacy since Biden dropped out of the race is tempered by the reality that the vice president is likely to pursue the same Middle East policies as her predecessor if she wins in November. Biden has sent billions of dollars in military aid to Israel with few (if any) strings attached, a move that critics say has prolonged the war and Palestinian suffering.
The situation for Gazans is catastrophic after ten months of bombardment by Israeli forces, and Hamas continues to hold 109 Israeli hostages. According to local health authorities, more than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Gaza. Israeli defence forces have also killed members of humanitarian aid groups trying to provide assistance. On 7 October Hamas killed almost 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians. The group took about 250 people hostage.
The Democratic Party unveiled its platform for the presidential race on Sunday, and nowhere in the 92-page document is there any mention of an arms embargo on Israel. The embargo is a central demand of unpledged delegates at the convention and is a rallying cry among anti-war protesters. Harris has acknowledged Palestinian suffering in Gaza but has not proposed any policy changes on the issue, while Republicans and their candidate banning Muslims from entering the country are hardly a great alternative.
Vice President Kamala Harris hugs President Biden after his speech at the Democratic National Convention.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas and basketball coach Steve Kerr were among the speakers on the first day of the Democratic National Convention who energized the crowd by championing popular and pressing issues, such as reproductive rights, preserving democracy and breaking the glass ceiling. But little was said about Gaza or Israel, and the silence spoke volumes. Let's talk about everything but… that war.
Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock dared to go further when, in a speech on equality and inclusion, he eloquently declared: “I need my neighbors’ children to be okay so that my children can be okay… I need the poor children of Israel and the poor children of Gaza. I need the Israelis and the Palestinians—those in the Congo, those in Haiti, those in Ukraine—to be okay. I need Americans on both sides of the political spectrum to be okay. Because we are all children of God.”
The crowd erupted in cheers. The comment was reported to be largely improvised and did not appear on the teleprompter in front of Warnock. Perhaps that was how he snuck it into a schedule that was otherwise devoid of Palestinian presence.
Monday night’s keynote speaker, President Biden, mentioned the demonstrations that unfolded on the streets of Chicago earlier in the day. “Those protesters on the street are right,” he said. “A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides.” He said he would like to continue working for a ceasefire, bring hostages home and deliver more humanitarian food and health care to Gaza. He said he would also like to “end the civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and end this war.”
On the second day of the convention, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders was the only prominent speaker to take a risk, saying: “We must end this horrific war in Gaza, bring the hostages home and demand an immediate ceasefire.”
Palestinian rights protesters in Chicago ahead of the Democratic National Convention.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
The only other people who addressed the elephant in the room were actually outside The hall was just blocks from the site of the Democratic National Convention. Thousands of people demanded that the United States stop arming Israel and end the war. Organizers like the Uncommitted National Movement promise the movement will only grow as the convention progresses.
More than 700,000 Democratic voters cast uncommitted ballots during the Democratic primaries that re-elected Biden. It was a form of protest to express their concerns about the president's support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's military campaign in the Gaza Strip and the humanitarian crisis that followed.
Talking publicly about the conflict is a dead end for both sides. Representatives cannot say much without alienating voters and powerful lobby groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the DNC member for assaulting the Muslim delegate holding a sign reading “Stop Arming Israel.” The group called for criminal charges to be filed. This is hardly the cheery narrative the DNC was trying to convey by ignoring Gaza.
