Pro-Palestinian delegates say Kamala Harris' election chances tied to Israel arms embargo

CHICAGO – A group of uncommitted delegates to the Democratic National Convention and their allies warned Vice President Kamala Harris Monday that her chances of winning the presidential election are still threatened by her failure to embrace calls for an arms embargo and immediate Israeli cease-fire in Gaza.

They also could not guarantee an absence of disruptions inside the convention hall this week.

"We want our voices to be heard in a way that moves us forward," said Layla Elabed, a Palestinian-American from Dearborn, Michigan, who helped found the Uncommitted National Movement that sprung up as a way to push President Joe Biden's administration toward demanding an Israeli cease-fire by withholding their votes in this year's primaries from his renomination.

Ultimately, only about 30 delegates out of 4,995 – less than 1% – were seated as being uncommitted, representing a handful of states.

But since Biden stepped aside and Harris secured the votes to become the Democratic nominee late last month, the uncommitted delegates and their allies have been lining up Harris delegates to declare themselves cease-fire delegates and demanding they be given time and space to be heard this week.

As of Monday morning, leaders said more than 160 Harris delegates had also committed to considering themselves cease-fire delegates, which doesn't require them to take any formal vote − it's not part of the party platform − but means they will sign letters in support of a cease-fire, wearing pins or other cease-fire slogans and could potentially make themselves heard more loudly if chants do break out on the convention floor this week.

They have won some concessions. A space was provided in McCormick Place, a huge convention hall which the Democratic Party is using for briefings and other events outside the convention main stage at the United Center, for news conferences, testimonials from doctors and others, and a vigil to those who have died since Israel began its counter-offensive to Hamas' attack last October.

More significantly, a panel discussion in McCormick Place was set to be held Monday afternoon, involving Elabed, who is the sister of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, and the only Palestinian-American woman in Congress; Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care surgeon who has worked in Gaza; Hala Hijazi, a Democratic Party organizer who has had relatives killed in Gaza; Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison; and others discussing Palestinian human rights.

The event attracted more than 150 people, man nearly 200 people, many wearing kaffiyehs saying, “Democrats for Palestinian Rights.” The organizers said it was the first time the Democratic Party has held such a panel as an official part of its convention.

The organizers said it was the first time the Democratic Party has held such a panel as an official part of its convention. So far, however, a request for a Palestinian-American leader to speak on the convention's main stage hasn't been granted, despite several names being suggested.

"They haven't said no," Elabed said hopefully.

Biden was set to address the convention Monday night from the main stage, even as his secretary of state, Antony Blinken, was in the Middle East pushing for what he said "maybe the last opportunity" for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas to be brokered.

Meanwhile, Harris has engaged with pro-Palestinian organizers ahead of the convention, meeting briefly with Elabed and Alawieh before a metro Detroit rally recently.

Last week, she sent her campaign manager and others to meet with Arab-American and Jewish leaders in southeastern Michigan.

A group of the uncommitted delegates − and one Harris delegate who has signed on as a cease-fire delegate, Illinois State Rep. Lilian Jimenez − met with reporters Monday morning, with strong words for both the Biden administration and Harris.

While they haven't joined with the large group of protesters meeting outside the United Center this week and engaging in marches against Biden's Israeli policy, members of the group argued that Harris has not described a plan to urgently address the killing of civilians in Gaza. Absent that, they said, they can't lobby for voters to support her.

Abbas Alawieh, also co-founder of the uncommitted movement and an uncommitted delegate from Dearborn, said "trust us" is not an adequate response from the Harris campaign, particularly in Arab-American and Muslim communities like his.

"We need Vice President Harris to tell us how she would act differently (than the Biden administration, which has called for a cease-fire but not used U.S. aid to Israel as leverage to demand one)," Alawieh said.

Elabed, who is not a delegate, said Harris' chances of winning Michigan and other swing states is hurt by her failure to adopt a more clear cease-fire policy and stopping arms shipments to Israel, the latter of which Harris has refused.

But Harris' polling has been f ar better over the last month versus the Republican nominee , former President Donald Trump, that Biden's was, including in battleground states. And it is far from clear whether a move to take a more pronounced stance against Israel's counter-attacks wouldn't backfire against Harris' election chances.

One uncommitted delegate, Yaz Kader, suggested Monday that Democrats as a party are all but unanimous in their support for a cease-fire and arms embargo.

"Everyone is supportive of these two things," he said.

Polls, however, have shown lower levels of support. A national survey by The Economist/YouGov done last May showed 81% of Democrats supported a cease-fire compared with 19% who were opposed or unsure. When asked if they supported a cease-fire even if Hamas did not release its remaining hostages, Democratic support fell to 43%, with 57% opposed or unsure.

Alawieh, who said he was called a name several weeks ago when he suggested a more humane Gaza policy during a virtual meeting of Michigan delegates, said that sort of dismissiveness "is not an isolated incident" and is connected to a belief on the part of some that it's permissible to "dehumanize Palestinians."

"Those are real people (who are dying in Gaza). That needs to stop now," Alawieh said. "In my opinion, this is a change Vice President Harris can begin to address immediately."

At the Monday afternoon meeting, Haj-Hassan, described how she treated a severely injured boy whose family, including his sister, died in a bombing, telling her, “Everyone I love is in heaven. I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Breaking down, Elabed had to leave the room momentarily.

Hijazi, her described herself as a moderate Democrat from northern California, became emotional as she talked about dozens of relatives who have died. A naturalized American, she said she felt guilty for not taking the plight of her Palestinian relatives more seriously before the counterattacks following Hamas’ raids last year, describing how, when she spoke to them, they said they were fine.

“They were never fine,” she said on the verge of tears. “I’m a failure, I’m a fraud for not speaking up more for the past 25 years.”

As for Harris, who she said she has known for decades, Hijazi said, “She’s trying. We have to hold her accountable but we have to give her a chance.”

Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pro-Palestinian delegates say Kamala Harris' election chances tied to Israel arms embargo