Pro-Palestine delegates blocked from speaking at DNC amid pro-Israel voices

Pro-Palestine delegates at this week’s Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, set to give Kamala Harris an official start to her presidential bid, were denied the opportunity to speak about the impact of Israel’s war on Gaza, even as pro-Israel speakers were featured.

Convention organisers denied a request to include a speaker addressing the impact of Israel's war on Gaza, according to The Washington Post, citing a person familiar with the decision who spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not yet public.

The request came from "uncommitted" delegates who have withheld support for Vice President Kamala Harris in protest of the Biden administration’s strong backing of Israel during the conflict. The delegates had hoped to include a speaker who would discuss the devastation in Gaza, but their request was denied without explanation.

"That’s unacceptable to us. This is not over," said Abbas Alawieh, co-founder of the Uncommitted National Movement.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, an outspoken member of Congress for New York, also criticized the decision, urging the convention to reverse course. "Just as we must honour the humanity of hostages, so too must we centre the humanity of the 40,000 Palestinians killed under Israeli bombardment," she wrote on X.

"To deny that story is to participate in the dehumanisation of Palestinians. The DNC must change course and affirm our shared humanity."

In contrast, Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was at a music festival when the Palestinian resistance group Hamas attacked last October 7, took the stage at the convention in Chicago on Wednesday.

The couple was greeted with an extended ovation and chants of “bring him home” by thousands of Democratic delegates.

"This is a political convention, but needing our only son and all of the cherished hostages home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue," said Polin.

Underlining support from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Polin said they are "both working tirelessly for a hostage and ceasefire deal."

Uncommitted group sit-in

Uncommitted pro-Palestine delegates on Wednesday night also started a sit-in protest outside the United Center stadium to protest the lack of a Palestinian American speaker.

A group of around 40 delegates and supporters said they would remain seated until Vice President Kamala Harris or a member of her team changed their decision.

Uncommitted, a national movement that started in Michigan, secured 30 delegates for the convention and has sought to urge Harris and President Joe Biden to change their policy of supporting Israel's war on Gaza. The sit-in is their latest attempt to urge the Democratic Party to give more voice to the anti-war movement at the convention.

A group said in a statement that they "cannot in good conscience continue Muslim Women For Harris-Walz in light of this new information from the Uncommitted movement, that VP Harris' team declined their request to have a Palestinian American speaker take the stage at the DNC.”

"The family of the Israeli hostage that was on the stage tonight has shown more empathy towards Palestinian Americans and Palestinians than our candidate or the DNC has,” the group added.

"This is a terrible message to send to Democrats. Palestinians have the right to speak about Palestine," the group added.

They urged the DNC and Harris' team to reconsider their decision before the convention concludes “for the sake of each of us.”

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 blitz by Hamas. The onslaught has since killed over 40,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and injured nearly 93,000 others, according to local health authorities.

Vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice over its actions in the blockaded enclave.