Forward of the Democratic Social gathering’s coronation of Vice President Kamala Harris because the presidential nominee at their conference in Chicago this week, “Not One other Bomb” advocates in additional than 80 cities, together with Seattle, gathered Sunday to name on Harris to publicly help a ceasefire in Gaza and an arms embargo on Israel. As many Jewish, Palestinian, and allied audio system argued at Cal Anderson Park on Sunday, the specter of former President Donald Trump’s victory over Harris doesn’t represent a platform. Harris should earn their votes.
“We wish to work with Harris, we wish to help Harris,” stated Palestinian-American and Seattle resident David McBale. “However not for nothing.”
Harris has inherited the identical ire from pro-Palestine advocates as her predecessor, President Joe Biden, who some activists consult with as “Genocide Joe.” Biden, with Harris by his aspect, has vocally supported the most important aggression from Israel on Palestine because the Nakba in 1948. Israel Protection Forces (IDF), bolstered with US tax {dollars}, have killed greater than 40,000 Palestinians since Hamas’ lethal Oct 7 assault on Israel, in keeping with Gaza’s Well being Ministry.
The Biden-Harris administration lastly unveiled and endorsed a three-stage ceasefire proposal on the finish of Could, however the administration has didn’t institute an arms embargo to really stifle the carnage in Gaza.
Now that Harris will take over because the presidential nominee, the meme-able, wine-aunt gloss on her appears to have distracted some voters from her culpability within the ongoing, US-funded genocide. However for these on the Not One other Bomb rally, the calls for stay the identical.
Jewish educator Whitney Kahn stated they’re glad that Biden stepped down and that Harris appears to have a greater probability of beating Trump, however the motion should hold the stress up.
“Genocide can’t be the lesser of two evils,” Kahn stated. “We can’t defeat fascism right here by supporting it overseas.”
Harris has known as for a ceasefire and spoken rather more sympathetically of the victims in Palestine than Biden, however her nationwide safety adviser stated she is not going to help an arms embargo, which advocates say is essential to stopping the genocide.
On the rally Sunday, Palestinian-American poet and author Tariq Ra’ouf stated Harris’s name for a ceasefire is just not sufficient. They’ve misplaced nearly a dozen members of the family in Israel’s genocide—a cousin shot and killed by the IDF for amassing rainwater, one other cousin shot and killed as he tried to return dwelling to his severely injured brother, and one other cousin, simply 12 years previous, sniped within the head by the IDF, Ra’ouf recounted Sunday.
“So, forgive me if I don’t take your guarantees of a ceasefire significantly,” Ra’ouf stated on the rally. “For almost a 12 months, nearly each single day has been crammed with a pointy ache in my coronary heart, and my face has gone blue from holding my breath a lot each time a message I ship to my cousin doesn’t get delivered, fearing I’ll lose her.”
Ra’ouf stated, “No marketing campaign promise will give me my members of the family again, however an arms embargo may let me hold those I nonetheless have.”
In response to polling from Information for Progress, about 83% of Democratic voters help a ceasefire in Gaza. A plurality of voters, 37%, additionally need the US to lower funding to Israel’s army, in keeping with the identical ballot. If Democrats wish to save our Democracy from Trump, as they’ve stated, MacBale suggests Harris take up these widespread positions.
Some critics of the pro-Palestine stress marketing campaign on Harris argue that Gaza is just not the one situation on the poll. They argue Harris ought to have already got their help as a result of she is going to advance a much more progressive home agenda than Trump, who represents a risk to reproductive well being, trans rights, and the democratic establishment as an entire.
However audio system on the Sunday rally argue that the genocide in Gaza is intrinsically linked to home coverage. Each greenback the US spends on weapons for Israel might go towards schooling, well being care, housing, or any variety of home points.
Anti-zionist Jewish educator Whitney sings an inventory of issues the US might pay for as a substitute of bombs. pic.twitter.com/mxMPJoBhbX
— Hannah Krieg (@hannahkrieg) August 18, 2024
Professional-Palestine advocates count on extra actions throughout the nation to stress Harris throughout the four-day DNC. 1000’s of protesters gathered in Chicago this morning to demand Harris break from Biden on Israel insurance policies. Whereas an embargo didn’t make it on the Democratic platform unveiled final evening, MacBale stated there’s nonetheless time for Harris to do the ethical factor to win the election.
