‘Uncommitted’ backs Israeli-American speakers at DNC, says Palestinians must have voice too

After the Israeli-American parents of a young man taken hostage by Hamas militants on October 7 spoke at the Democratic National Convention (DNC), the Uncommitted National Movement renewed its call for Palestinian voices to also be heard on the event’s main stage.

The parents, Rachel and Jon Goldberg-Polin, recounted their son Hersh’s abduction from a rave near Gaza during their speech on Wednesday night.

In response, Uncommitted co-founders Abbas Alawieh and Layla Elabed urged the DNC to ensure Palestinian perspectives are represented, stating that excluding Palestinian speakers contradicts the party’s platform, which claims to value both Israeli and Palestinian lives equally.

The movement, which gained substantial support in Democratic primaries, advocates for Palestinian inclusion at the DNC and criticized the lack of representation despite the ongoing genocide in Gaza, which has resulted in thousands of Palestinian deaths.

Backing this demand, Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) stated, “As Democrats, we must commit to uplifting the shared humanity of all people and recognize that the loss of human life is always tragic, regardless of nationality, religion, or race. I’m calling on the DNC to live up to these values and invite Palestinian speakers to the convention.”

Although the DNC recently hosted its first-ever panel on Palestinian rights, Uncommitted argues this is insufficient and continues to press for equal representation. They warn that excluding Palestinian voices risks alienating anti-war voters who feel their concerns are being ignored.

Feminist group Codepink stated that they were forcibly expelled from Tim Walz Women’s Caucus speech at DNC for demanding justice for Palestinian women.

With input from Commondreams.org