Before the Democratic National Convention kicked off, a big question on my mind was, “How is the party going to address the crisis in the Gaza Strip?” We now have an answer: by sweeping it under the rug.
Over the course of four days of lively speeches — infused with an extra excitement around Vice President Kamala Harris’ emergence as the unexpected party nominee — the Biden administration’s backing of Israel’s barbarous military operation in the Gaza Strip rarely came up. It reflects a gamble by the Democratic Party that it can win the election by snubbing the movement objecting to it, by pretending that the U.S. is not supplying munitions used in atrocities.
It’s hard to conclude anything other than that in the Democratic establishment’s eyes, Israeli lives matter more than Palestinian lives.
Despite a constant refrain about standing up for the little guy, calls for the protection of Palestinian civilians were all but absent. Despite all the rhetoric about a big tent, speakers and programming ignored the thousands of protesters outside the convention calling for a change in U.S. foreign policy toward Gaza. Despite all the calls for inclusivity and the showcasing of several Republican speakers, Democratic officials rejected a request from the “Uncommitted” movement to allow a Palestinian American to speak from the main stage.