WASHINGTON: This year’s planned March on the Democratic National Convention (DNC) has been rebranded as the March for Palestine, with organisers calling for the US government to “stand with Palestine” and “end aid to Israel.”

The coalition behind the march is also critical of Democratic leadership. In a recent statement, the coalition argued that President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race “does not change the policies of Democratic Party leadership, specifically their support of the genocide in Palestine.”

They emphasise that the march will proceed regardless of the nominee, declaring, “They are all complicit,” and vowing to hold “the largest march for Palestinian rights in Chicago’s history.”

Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress and a Democrat, has urged her party to reevaluate its Middle East policies. “For our community to feel seen and heard, I urge fellow Democrats to reconnect with our base,” said Tlaib in a message for the 2024 DNC. “They want to see an immediate ceasefire and an end to the funding of genocide in Gaza.”

Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, urges Democrats to rethink ME policy

Tlaib, who supports Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, represents Michigan, a state with a significant Arab community whose support could be crucial for Democrats.

Tlaib, along with Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Pramila Jayapal — members of the progressive House caucus known as the “Squad”— is advocating for a shift in US policy towards Palestine. “If you want to know what an unfolding genocide looks like, open your eyes,” Ocasio-Cortez recently stated, which has provoked tensions with the party’s mainstream, which deems the situation in Gaza tragic but not genocidal and supports continued military aid to Israel.

Jayapal also criticised the current policy, saying, “The starvation of Palestinians is a man-made crisis, and as the United States continues to send bombs and other military aid to Israel with no conditions, we are complicit.”

Ilhan Omar recently won her primary race against former Minneapolis city councilman Don Samuels, with her opponent backed by the United Democracy Project, the political arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Vice President Harris, on the other hand, seeks to balance these competing perspectives. Last month, she declined to chair a joint congressional session addressed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but maintains that a strong US-Israel relationship is essential and would continue military assistance if elected.

Democrats are currently divided on this issue. While some members advocate for a change in US policy towards Palestine, others support maintaining a close military and diplomatic relationship with Israel.

Organisers of the March for Palestine expect 25,000 to 30,000 people to participate in the march, significantly more than the 3,000 who protested at the Republican convention in Milwaukee last month.

Chicago has seen consistent protests against Israel’s actions in the Gaza war every weekend since October. However, maintaining momentum has proven challenging. “Nobody expected this to last this long,” said Deanna Othman, a board member of the Chicago chapter of American Muslims for Palestine. She acknowledged the difficulty in sustaining these protests but noted that reinforcements would be joining for the upcoming march.

The DNC is expected to draw 50,000 visitors to the convention, where the party will officially nominate Vice President Kamala Harris as its presidential candidate.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations are scheduled for the first, third, and last days of the convention — August 19, 21, and 22 — coinciding with the kickoff and acceptance speeches of both Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the vice-presidential candidate, and Harris.

The largest planned demonstrations, including marches on the DNC, are set for noon on August 19 and 5pm on August 22, with rallies beginning at Union Park on the Near West Side.

Chicago Police Chief Larry Snelling said on Tuesday that he recognises the importance of peaceful protests but will not tolerate rioting. “Protesting and rioting are two different things. You have the right to protest, but there will be no rioting tolerated.”

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2024