Every Time Palestine Was Mentioned At The 2024 Democratic National Convention
During the over twenty-hour-long Democratic National Convention, only nine people mentioned Palestine on the main stage. Five of them were politicians. There are about thirty uncommitted delegates representing voters who refuse to vote for a Democrat who supports the genocideāŗ in Gaza. The Uncommitted Movement is led by Abbas Alawieh who demands an immediate arms embargo to force a ceasefire. Further, the people they represent want justice for the citizens of Palestine who, even before this war, live under an oppressive apartheid and live in abject poverty. Tens of thousands of protestors outside the DNC marched in protest of the Democratic partyās enthusiastic support of Israel. The Uncommitted delegates were given a few panels to speak at during the convention but were denied a time slot to speak on the main stage. After the third day, they held a sit-in demanding they allow a member to speak. That demand was supported by the UAW union, many members of Congress, and much of the media. Their request was never answered and the main stage never got to hear the full story of the war on Gaza. The delegates all agreed Georgia Rep. Ruwa Romman as the one who would deliver the speech. Ultimately, she presented her speech in front of the press on Friday morning after the protest ended.
The following resource is produced using the transcripts from the CSPAN recording of the Democratic National Convention. Certain allusions to the war in Gaza may have been missed if they werenāt explicitly mentioned. Time stamps are provided which correspond to the videos Only main podium speakers are mentioned in this. A full version of the transcripts is available here.
Day 1
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ā 4:08:46
She understands the urgency of rent checks and groceries and prescriptions. She is as committed to our reproductive and civil rights as she is to picking on corporate greed. And she is working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bringing hostages home. In Kamala Harris I see a leader who understands. I see a leader with a real commitment to a better future for working families. And Chicago, we have to help her win.
Senator Raphael Warnock ā 5:33:35
I need all of my neighbors' children to be ok. Poor inner-city children in Atlanta, poor children of Appalachia, the poor children of Israel and the poor children of Gaza, the Israelis and Palestinians, I need those in the Congo, those in Haiti, those in Ukraine, I need American children on both sides of the tracks to be ok. Because we are all God's children.
President Joe Biden ā 6:34:26
I will keep working to bring hostages home and end the war in Gaza and bring peace and security to the Middle East. As you know, I wrote a peace treaty for Gaza. A few days ago I put forward a proposal that brought us closer to doing that than we have done since October 7th. We are working around the clock. My secretary of state, to prevent a wider war and reunite hostages with their families and surge humanitarian health and food assistance into Gaza now. To end civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and finally, finally deliver a ceasefire and end this war. Those protesters out in the street have a point. A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides. We worked around-the-clock to bring home wrongfully detained Americans and others from Russia in one of the most complicated swaps in history, but they are home.
Day 2
Rabbi Sharon Brous ā 1:01:33
Holy One, help us write America's redemption story, a story of ceaseless striving towards a true multiracial democracy, rooted in equal justice where every person is treated as unique, mighty, and worthy of love. In this story, politics is not a vehicle for repression, bigotry, or personal profit, but a call to service. This story counters extremism with capacious nest and compassion. It rejects the inevitability of war, affirming that every one of us, Muslim and Jew, Christian, black, white, latino, AAPI, queer and straight, Israeli and Palestinian, deserves to live in dignity and in peace.
Senator Bernie Sanders ā 4:07:19
Fellow Americans, in the last three and a half years, working together, we have accomplished more than any government since FDR. But much, much more remains to be done. We must summon the courage to stand up to wealth and power and deliver justice for people at home and abroad. We must end this horrific war in Gaza. Bring home the hostages and demand an immediate ceasefire. At home right here, we must take on big pharma, big oil, big agriculture, big tech and all of the other corporate monopoly monoliths whose greed is denying progress for working people.
Day 3
Rachel Goldberg-Polin (parent of hostage) ā 2:14:55
At this moment, 109 treasured human beings are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. They are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. They are from 23 different countries. The youngest hostage is a one-year-old redheaded baby boy and the oldest is an 86-year-old mustachioed grandfather. Among the hostages are eight American citizens. One of those Americans is our only son. His name is Hersh. He is 23 years old. Like Vice President Kamala Harris, he was born in Oakland, California. He is a happy-go-lucky, laid-back, good-humored, respectful and curious person. He is a civilian. He loves soccer, is wild about music and music festivals and he has been obsessed with geography and travel since he was a little boy. His beadroom overflows with atlases, globes, maps and National Geographic magazines. On October 7th, Hersh and his best friend Aner went to a music festival in the south of Israel. It was advertised as celebrating peace, love and unity. They also went to celebrate his 23rd birthday. As rockets began to for, Hersh, Aner and 27 other festivalgoers took refuge in five foot by eight foot bomb shelter. Terrorists began to throw grenades into the shelter. Aner stood in the doorway and repelled seven of those grenades before the eighth one killed him. Altogether at the Nova Music Festival, 367 young music lovers were killed. This is just one of many attacks on neighborhoods and communities in southern Israel on that terrible day. In total, 1200 were killed Including 45 Americans. Hershās left forearm, his dominant arm was blown off before he was loaded on to a pickup truck and stolen from his life. And me and Jon. Into Gaza. And that was 320 days ago. Since then, we lived on another planet. Anyone who is a parent or has had a parent can try to imagine the anguish and misery that Jon and I and all of the hostage families are enduring.
Jon Polin (parent of hostage) ā 2:18:45
Rachel and I are comforted to be back in our sweet home, Chicago. We were both born and raised here and our families still live here. This is a political convention. But needing our only son and the cherished hostages home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue. The families of the American hostages meet every few weeks in Washington. We are heartened both Democratic and Republican leaders demonstrate their bipartisan support for our hostages being released. We have met with President Biden and Vice President Harris numerous times at the White House. They are both working tirelessly for a hostage and ceasefire deal that will bring our precious children, mothers, fathers, spouses, grandparents, and grandchildren home and will stop the despair in Gaza. We are all deeply grateful to them. We are also profoundly thankful to you, the millions of people in the united states and all over the world who have been sending love, support and strength to the hostage families. You have kept us breathing in a world without air. There is a surplus of agony on all sides of the tragic conflict in the Middle East. In a competition of pain, there are no winners. In our Jewish tradition, we say ākol adam olam um lo'oā, every person is and entire universe. We must save all these universes. In an inflamed Middle East, we know the one thing that can most immediately release pressure and bring home to the entire region. A deal that brings this diverse group of 109 hostages home and and the suffering of the innocent civilians in Gaza. The time is now. Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you. Stay strong. Survive.
Reverend William Hall ā 6:16:12
Division is a tool of the insecure. Hatred is a misunderstanding of love. Help us to come together and paint a brighter future. The one that Shirley Chisholm dreamed of, Maya Angelou spoke of. Let there be peace tonight. Peace for Palestine, peace for Israelis, when we come together, we win. Tonight by faith we rise together. Tonight by faith we work together.
Day 4
Vice President Kamala Harris ā 5:21:59
And as president, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies. With respect to the war in Gaza, President Biden and I are working around the clock, because now is the time to get a hostage deal and a cease-fire deal done. And let me be clear. And let me be clear. I will always stand up for Israelās right to defend itself, and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself, because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas caused on Oct. 7, including unspeakable sexual violence and the massacre of young people at a music festival. At the same time, what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost. Desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking. President Biden and I are working to end this war, such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination. And know this: I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists. I will not cozy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong-Un, who are rooting for Trump. Who are rooting for Trump. Because, you know, they know ā they know he is easy to manipulate with flattery and favors. They know Trump wonāt hold autocrats accountable because he wants to be an autocrat himself. And as president, I will never waver in defense of Americaās security and ideals, because in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where the United States belongs.