Column: Pro-Palestinian Democrats face conundrum at DNC: Joy over Harris, but despair over Gaza

Love and good cheer permeated opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago save for a small confrontation in the nosebleed section of the packed United Center. A Muslim delegate holding a sign that read “Stop Arming Israel” during President Biden’s speech was purposely hit by another audience member’s “We Love Joe” sign.

The kerfuffle on Monday represented a much larger divide within the party. But it’s not the only internal conflict Democrats are experiencing as a result of the Israel-Hamas war.

A new wave of joy and an old sense of despair live side by side in Democrats who are energized by the arrival of the Kamala Harris-Tim Walz ticket but deeply bothered by the party’s inaction over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The happiness many Harris supporters feel from the new campaign is at odds with the anger and betrayal they’ve felt around U.S. policy in Israel.

Call it the joy conundrum.

For those who want an end to the war, the impulse to celebrate Harris’ candidacy since Biden stepped out of the race is tempered by the reality that the vice president is likely to follow the same policies in the Middle East as her predecessor should she win in November. Biden has sent billions in military aid to Israel with few (if any) conditions, a move critics say has prolonged the war and the suffering of Palestinians.

The situation for Gazans is catastrophic after 10 months of bombardment by Israeli forces, and Hamas is still holding on to more than 100 Israeli hostages. More than 40,000 people — mostly civilians — have been killed in Gaza, according to local health authorities. Starvation and disease have set in while members of aid groups have also been killed by the Israel Defense Forces. Nearly 1,200 people — mostly civilians — were killed Oct. 7 in Israel by Hamas. Around 250 people were taken hostage by the group.

The Democratic Party unveiled its platform Sunday for the presidential race, and nowhere in the 92-page document is there a mention of an arms embargo on Israel. An embargo is a central demand by uncommitted delegates at the convention and is a rallying cry among protests against the war. Harris has acknowledged Palestinian suffering in Gaza but has not proposed any policy changes on the issue, while Republicans and their Muslim-banning nominee are hardly a great alternative.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas and basketball coach Steve Kerr were among a raft of speakers on Day 1 of the DNC who energized the crowd by championing popular and urgent themes, such as reproductive rights, preserving democracy and shattering the glass ceiling. But little was said about Gaza or Israel, and the silence spoke volumes. Let’s talk about everything but that war.

Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia dared to go there when in a speech about equality and inclusion he eloquently stated, “I need my neighbors’ children to be OK so my children will be OK. ... I need the poor children of Israel and the poor children of Gaza. I need Israelis and Palestinians — those in the Congo, those in Haiti, those in Ukraine, I need Americans on both sides of the track to be OK. Because we are all God’s children.”

The crowd erupted into cheers. It was reported that the comment was largely improvised and didn’t appear on the teleprompter in front of Warnock. Perhaps that’s how he sneaked it into the otherwise Palestinian-free programming.

Monday evening’s keynote speaker, President Biden, mentioned demonstrations that unfolded on Chicago streets earlier in the day. “Those protesters out in the street have a point,” he said. “A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides.” He said he’d like to keep working toward a cease-fire, bring the hostages home and deliver more humanitarian food and health assistance into Gaza. He said he’d also like “to end the civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and end this war.”

On Day 2 of the convention, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont was the rare featured speaker who took the leap when he said, “We must end this horrific war in Gaza, bring home the hostages and demand an immediate cease-fire!”

About the only other folks who addressed the elephant in the room were actually outside the room, protesting mere blocks from the DNC venue. Thousands demanded the U.S. stop arming Israel and bring an end to the war. Organizers such as the Uncommitted National Movement promise the movement will only grow as the convention rolls forward.

More than 700,000 Democratic voters cast uncommitted ballots during the primaries that reelected Biden. It was a form of protest to voice their concern over the president’s support of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip and the humanitarian crisis that’s followed.

Discussing the conflict publicly is a no-win endeavor for both parties. Representatives can’t say much of anything without alienating voters and powerful lobbies, such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the DNC audience member for assaulting the Muslim delegate who was holding the “Stop Arming Israel” sign. The group called for criminal charges to be filed. Hardly the joyful narrative the DNC was aiming for by ignoring Gaza.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .