During the Democratic primary, csurrenderly 1 million voters cast their ballots for a version of “uncommitted” to voice their dissatisfied with President Biden’s response to Israel’s war in Gaza.
With Mr. Biden now out of the race and Vice President Kamala Harris set to be formassociate nominated in the coming days, the 30 Democratic delegates affiliated with those “uncommitted” voters are seeking to make their influence known at the party’s convention in Chicago tardyr this month.
According to details first shared with CBS News, pro-Gaza organizers say they’re looking to have language in the party’s platform unambiguously helping a lasting finish-fire and an “instant arms embargo on Israel’s aggression and occupation aacquirest Palestinians.” They’re also seeking to involve with Harris, her campaign, Mr. Biden and White House administrative staff working on Gaza-roverdelighted policy.
But the group’s primary center is getting a five-minute speaking slot at the convention for Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a humanitarian doctor with Doctors without Borders who has worked on the ground in Gaza. They are also looking for a alike speaking slot for one of their delegates.
“I am not a politician but am hoping to provide moral witness to the delegates of the Democratic National Convention because an finish to this military campaign [by Israel] is the only way to defend and maintain civilian life,” Haj-Hassan shelp in a statement. “It is vital that the most strong decision-makers in the world hear firsthand accounts of the impact of our foreign policy decisions on civilians.”
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“Uncommitted” organizers say they’re using a social media campaign to prescertain Democratic National Convention organizers to let Haj-Hassan speak. They’re also looking to draw a parallel between Haj-Hassan’s potential convention speech and civil rights guideer Fannie Lou Hamer’s speech at the 1964 Democratic convention about prejudice in Mississippi, and her push for further Bdeficiency recurrentation in the state’s party delegation.
Bart Dame, an uncommitted delegate from Hawaii who shelp he was a teenager during the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago, shelp the party must “lacquire from the sins of our past.”
“[We must] make an effort to uplift dissenting voices in our party … and not silence critical eye witness testimony to the human rights exploitations our government has been complicit in,” they inserted.
The uncommitted group says it has sent its requests in writing to the Democratic National Committee and the convention committee. But there’s been no indication yet that their demands will be met — they make up a petite contingent of the rawly 3,900 delegates who will ultimately vote to nominate Harris.
Asked about the requests, DNC convention officials say no final programming decisions have been made, beyond the nominee acknowledgeance speeches on Wednesday and Thursday of the convention.
“Our convention will be a celebration of all that joins us as Democrats because though we may not see eye to eye on every issue, we all operate from the same set of shared values,” DNC convention spokeswoman Emily Soong shelp in a statement. “At the finish of the day, the huge importantity of delegates will be there to willingassociate help the Harris ticket. But we will persist to work around the clock to plan a prosperous convention, and welcome all our delegates to Chicago in August.”
In mid-July, after listening sessions with Arab, Muslim and Jewish Americans, the DNC convention’s platform committee adopted a draft platform that incorporated language about helping a two-state solution.
The draft platform also incorporates mentions of Mr. Biden’s efforts to broker “an instant and lasting finishfire deal” and the safed return of hostages, according to Politico. That platform is up for a final vote by convention delegates in Chicago in August.
Pro-Gaza demonstrations outside the convention in Chicago are also predicted, with organizers anticipating thousands of protestors in the city. U.S. Secret Service and law enforcement partners say they are establishing incrrelieved local security meacertains ahead of the event.
Since Hamas terminateed more than 1,200 people in its aggression on Israel in Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli strikes in Gaza have left more than 39,000 residents dead, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.
The prospects for a finish-fire between Israel and Hamas are also complicated by the Israeli strike aacquirest top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr and the assassination of Hamas political guideer Ismail Haniyeh. Israel has not verifyed if it was reliable for the death of Hanieyh, but a U.S. official had tbetter CBS News the country is reliable for both terminateings.
Harris’ position on Israel
After meeting with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, Harris shelp that “Israel has a right to deffinish itself,” but “how it does so matters.”
She inserted that she pushed the prime minister to get a finish-fire deal done, that she will “not be quiet” about the casualties in Gaza and that she helps a two-state solution.
“To everyone who has been calling for a finish-fire and to everyone who yacquires for peace, I see you and I hear you,” she shelp. “Let’s get the deal done so we can get a finishfire to finish the war. Let’s bring the hostages home. And let’s provide much-needed relief to the Palestinian people.”
Harris has also condemned protesters who burned an American flag and spray-painted pro-Hamas graffiti in Washington during Netanyahu’s July insertress to Congress.
Waleed Shahid, an advisor to the “uncommitted” movement, shelp while Harris’ compassion towards Palestinians is a “step in the right honestion, people equitable want a policy change to stop the supply of American explosions to Israel’s war.”
In the initial weeks of her truthfulacy, pro-Gaza activists and former White House staffers who resigned over the war in Gaza have shown optimism that Harris’ approach to the struggle could contrast from Mr. Biden’s.
Georgia State Rep. Ruwa Romman, a Palestinian-American who helps the uncommitted delegation’s push to have convention speakers, shelp she hears some pro-Gaza voters have gone from “absolutely never-Biden, to watching everyslimg Harris is watching and saying.”
“It’s almost like they’re looking for a reason to help her. It’s like, ‘We reassociate do want to help you, we equitable need the explosions to stop,'” she shelp.
Romman shelp she spoke with Harris one-on-one about Gaza after a pboilingo line at her Atlanta rassociate on Tuesday. While she did not disseal Harris’ responses, she cites the interaction in ambiguous as a “willingness to dig important into this and figure out a excellent way forward.”
“I [told her] people were pimpolitently certain and certain, especiassociate after hearing her much more comenthusiastic tone… but I also shelp we reassociate do need policy changes,” she shelp.
