“Undecided” delegates to the Democratic National Convention staged a sit-in outside the United Center on Wednesday night to demand that a Palestinian American be allowed to speak on the main stage. Photo by Jacob Kornbluh

By Jacob Kornbluh
22 August 2024

CHICAGO — Just hours after a stirring speech by the parents of an Israeli hostage, about a dozen “undecided” delegates to the Democratic National Convention began a sit-in outside the United Center late Wednesday night, demanding that a Palestinian American be allowed to speak on the main stage.

“The DNC left us no choice,” said one of the group’s leaders, Abbas Alawieh, a delegate from Michigan. “The American public should know that unfortunately, at this moment – I hope I get a call telling me otherwise, but at this moment – the Democratic Party is choosing to suppress the voices of Palestinian Americans.”

“I want to say that we were open with the DNC,” Alawieh added. “They could have told us, ‘Hey, you can say this, you can’t say that.’ They didn’t say that. They just said no. They said the answer is no. So we have no choice but to sit here.”

The protest came toward the end of the third day of a solemn, largely unified convention in which the war in Gaza, which has roiled the Democratic Party for months, was barely mentioned during official proceedings. The main pro-Palestinian demonstrations had fewer participants than expected; some fringe, more radical groups staged protests that included burning flags outside the Israeli consulate, leading to dozens of arrests; and President Joe Biden’s speech Monday night was briefly interrupted when a man unfurled a banner reading “Stop Arming Israel” and was quickly removed from the arena.

About an hour into Wednesday’s broadcast, the parents of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of more than 100 hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 and still held in Gaza, were greeted by the gathering with chants of “Bring them home, bring them home!” The crowd remained reverently silent for most of their stirring nine-minute speeches, rewarding them with supportive applause as they called for a ceasefire that would result in the prisoners’ release.

“There is great suffering on all sides of the tragic conflict in the Middle East,” said Jon Polin. “In a contest of pain, there are no winners.”

Since the convention began on Monday, the 30 “undecided” delegates, representing 700,000 votes in the Democratic primary cast this spring in protest of Biden’s support for Israel during the war, have held daily press conferences and vigils to commemorate those killed in the war. But the sit-in was the first action to threaten the convention’s unity.

For more than an hour, the opposition delegates sat together, surrounded by about 50 supporters – some of whom burst into tears – as well as reporters and passersby. As the microphone was passed from person to person, the delegates spoke about their personal experiences and their opposition to the war in Gaza. Their colleagues greeted them with hugs.

Outside the ring, activists stood on the street in front of the exit doors, holding large banners calling for an arms embargo on Israel. “Not another bomb,” said one.

As thousands of people streamed out of the United Center around 11 p.m. following a rousing speech by vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, some took photos with their cell phones, but most walked by without acknowledging the group. One man tried to boo the group, saying, “Release the hostages.” They responded, “We agree!”

U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, a Muslim from Minnesota who is one of the harshest critics of Israel in Congress, was there for a few minutes and hugged Alawieh. Her colleague Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York had earlier tweeted that she supported the unaffiliated delegates’ request.

“Just as we must honor the humanity of the hostages, we must also center the humanity of the 40,000 Palestinians killed under Israeli bombardment,” she said. “To deny this history is to participate in the dehumanization of Palestinians. The @DNC must change course and affirm our shared humanity.”

Jewish Americans sit in solidarity with Palestinian Americans and chant Hebrew prayers, calling for a ceasefire and asking the Democratic Party to allow a Palestinian American to speak on stage at the DNC. #LetTheMustSpeak#DNC2024 pic.twitter.com/hOtTTYUpB9

—Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@QasimRashid) 22 August 2024

Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, Washington director of the left-leaning Jewish group Bend the Arc, also joined the protest for a few minutes. “It was very powerful to be there and to hear such a broad coalition of people explain why it is important to elect Kamala Harris to defeat Donald Trump,” he said. “I think they should be willing to also hear the pain that Palestinian Americans are feeling in this moment. There should just be room for all of us.”

The Jewish group IfNotNow, which opposes the Israeli occupation, also issued a statement of support. “Tonight, the DNC made it clear that it values ​​Palestinian lives and voices less than others,” the group said. “It is unconscionable to silence Palestinian voices while they face US-sponsored massacres, famines and ethnic cleansing.”

The statement said the Goldberg-Polins had spoken “movingly” and that “the least the Democratic Party can do is recognize the dignity and humanity of the Palestinians and give a Palestinian-American speaker a place on the DNC stage.”

Yaz Kader, a Palestinian American and one of two “undecided” delegates from Washington state, spoke directly to Vice President Kamala Harris, who will officially accept the nomination with her own address at the United Center at the conclusion of the party’s convention on Thursday evening.

“Vice President Harris, I’m sure you’re listening to us carefully now,” he said. “Is this really worth five minutes? All of this? We’re not asking for money. I’m not asking for a house. I’m not asking for universal health care. I’m not asking for any of the other things I want. What I’m asking for is five minutes of Palestinian voice in this building tomorrow.”