Why are the Democrats not talking about Gaza?

Among the many topics to be discussed at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Palestine is notable by its absence. Bloomberg

Democrats are approaching their 2024 convention aware of the many critical issues at stake in the coming US election. There is deep concern about what a second Trump administration would mean for women’s rights, civil rights, environmental protections, immigration policy, civil discourse and the very foundation of America’s democratic order.

All of these issues and more will be discussed at length in the 2024 Democratic Party Platform and will be addressed by an assortment of speakers at the convention in Chicago, which begins on Monday.

What will not be discussed are: the killing that has been taking place in Gaza, the continued erosion of Palestinian rights in all the occupied territories, and the role the US continues to play in supporting Israel’s unconscionable violations of international law and American human rights legislation.

These are topics that should be addressed, but because they won’t, the Arab American Institute, together with Rev Jesse Jackson’s RainbowPUSH organisation and several other prominent progressive groups are hosting three days of talks during the afternoon hours of Monday through Wednesday before the convention’s official proceedings begin.

Among other things, those meeting to explore these topics will talk about the role of dark money in politics, specifically how pro-Israel groups spent more than $35 million this year to smear and defeat two progressive black members of Congress who had advocated for Palestinian rights. This problem of dark money has been a growing concern over the past three election cycles.

Twice, in Democratic Party meetings, we have tried to pass resolutions banning its use in primary contests. In both instances, party leaders refused to even allow a debate on the issue. Our concern is that, left unchecked, the problem posed by dark money will grow and before long not only pro-Israel, but also other special interest groups (like big pharma, banks, health and insurance) will similarly attempt to take advantage of the loophole that allows unlimited amounts of money to flood our elections.

Attendees will also debate the role of Congress in sponsoring legislation that silences free speech. Just as the US policy debate over Israel and Palestine has intensified, pro-Israel groups have worked with some members of Congress and state legislators to silence voices and penalise actions that are critical of Israel.

By expanding the definition of antisemitism to include most criticisms of Israel and by denying Americans the right to boycott or call for sanctions against any country for any reason, free speech is being constrained or outright denied. At this point, more than three dozen states have passed these laws and Congress is currently debating legislation that will not only conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism, but also require universities and other institutions receiving federal funds to establish enforcement mechanisms.

Another event will focus on the voices of Palestinians who should be heard. After 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of Gaza laid waste and with famine on the horizon, Democrats need to hear and listen to Palestinians. If the convention won’t invite them, they will be at the Arab American Institute event so they can tell their story.

Arab Americans and those concerned with justice in the Middle East have been waging battles to shape US political parties’ positions on Israel and Palestine. Another session to examine what’s not included in the Democratic Party’s platform will look at what’s changed and what hasn’t changed during the past four decades. Forty years ago, we couldn’t get the word “Palestinians” in the platform. Now it’s in the Democrats’ platform, but neither party will include the word “occupation” or any criticism of Israeli policies. That must change.

Israel’s war in Gaza has become central to the agenda of progressives in the Democratic Party. Polls show that most Democrats are opposed to Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, want a ceasefire and a conditioning of US aid to Israel, and support justice and rights for Palestinians. These numbers are largely driven by young voters, progressive Jewish groups, as well as black, Latino and Asian groups plus Arab Americans, all of whom are important to secure Democratic victories.

In addition to the three-day Arab American Institute event, there will be other meetings hosted by groups seeking to pressure the establishment to change direction on a variety of issues of concern. But the institute’s is the only one that will challenge the party to confront the elephant in the room – our unquestioning support for Israel in its unrelenting war on Palestinians. It’s an issue that most Democrats want the party to discuss and a policy they want the administration to change.