First-Ever DNC Panel on Palestinian Rights: We Need to “Restore the Soul of the Democratic Party”
Summary
TLDRThe Democratic National Convention (DNC) witnessed a historic first with a panel on Palestinian human rights, moderated by Keith Ellison. The panel included activists and medical professionals sharing firsthand accounts of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, urging for policy change and an end to U.S. support for Israel's military actions. The convention also saw protests against the U.S. arming of Israel during President Biden's speech, highlighting the growing call for justice and peace in the region.
Takeaways
- 🌍 The Democratic National Convention (DNC) held its first-ever panel on Palestinian human rights, highlighting significant grassroots activism.
- 🗣️ The panel featured notable speakers, including Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and former Michigan Congress member Andy Hala Hijazi, whose family has been heavily impacted by violence in Gaza.
- 📜 James Zogby, founder of the Arab American Institute, emphasized the historical importance of the panel, noting past struggles to discuss Palestinian rights within the Democratic Party.
- 💔 Dr. Tanya Hashash, a Pediatric Intensive Care surgeon, shared harrowing stories from her experiences in Gaza, detailing the severe humanitarian crisis and civilian massacres.
- 👶 Dr. Hashash highlighted the devastating impact on children in Gaza, including those who have lost entire families and suffered severe injuries.
- 📢 Leila Alabed, co-chair of the Uncommitted National Movement, expressed the movement's determination to hold the Democratic Party accountable to its values of justice and equality.
- 🇺🇸 President Biden addressed the convention, mentioning efforts to prevent a wider war and provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, though his comments sparked protests from delegates.
- 🪧 During Biden's speech, delegates from 'Delegates Against Genocide' protested by unfurling a banner demanding an end to U.S. arms support for Israel.
- ✊ The protests reflected deep concerns among some Democratic delegates about U.S. involvement in the ongoing conflict and the need for a change in policy.
- 🕊️ The panel and subsequent events underscored a growing push within the Democratic Party to address Palestinian human rights and reconsider U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.
Q & A
What was the significance of the first-ever panel on Palestinian human rights at the DNC?
-The panel marked a historic moment as it was the first time such a topic was officially discussed at the DNC, indicating a shift in the willingness to address Palestinian rights within the Democratic Party.
Who moderated the panel on Palestinian human rights at the DNC?
-Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison moderated the panel.
What role did Jesse Jackson play in elevating the issue of Palestine in previous Democratic conventions?
-Jesse Jackson was instrumental in bringing the issue of Palestine to the forefront at the 1984 and 1988 Democratic conventions, where he mentioned it in his speeches and fought for a platform debate on the matter.
What was the message from the Harris campaign regarding the panel on Palestinian rights?
-The Harris campaign signaled a willingness to engage with the issue by supporting the panel, indicating a potential shift in policy and an openness to discuss Palestinian rights.
What did Dr. Tanya Hashmi Hassan witness as a Pediatric Intensive Care surgeon in Gaza?
-Dr. Tanya Hashmi Hassan witnessed numerous civilian massacres, including school and shelter massacres, the killing of humanitarians, healthcare workers, and journalists, and the suffering of children who have lost their families.
What term has been coined to describe children in Gaza who have lost their entire families?
-The term 'Wounded Child, No Surviving Family' (WCNSF) has been coined to describe the phenomenon of children in Gaza who have lost all their family members due to attacks.
What alarming health issue has emerged in Gaza as mentioned by Dr. Tanya Hashmi Hassan?
-Dr. Tanya Hashmi Hassan reported the emergence of polio cases in Gaza, a disease that had been eradicated from the region for decades.
What was the emotional response of Leila al-Abed to Dr. Tanya Hashmi Hassan's comments?
-Leila al-Abed, co-chair of the uncommitted movement, was deeply moved by Dr. Hassan's comments and briefly walked out of the panel, later returning to respond to a question about the movement's plans.
What is the goal of the uncommitted national movement according to Leila al-Abed?
-The goal of the uncommitted national movement is to restore the soul of the Democratic Party by advocating for values such as freedom, equality, and justice, and to demand action against the ongoing suffering in Gaza.
Outlines
📜 Historic Palestinian Rights Panel at DNC
The first-ever panel on Palestinian human rights was held at the Democratic National Convention (DNC), a significant milestone achieved through grassroots organizing. Moderated by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, the panel included former Congress member andy1 Hala hijazi, a democratic organizer, Dr. Tanya hash Hassan, a Pediatric Intensive Care surgeon, Leila alabed, co-chair of the uncommitted movement, and James Z, a former executive member of the DNC and founder of the Arab American Institute. The discussion highlighted the evolution of Palestinian rights discourse within the Democratic party, with a focus on the role of Jesse Jackson in elevating the issue. The panel also underscored the importance of policy change and the Harris campaign's willingness to engage on the topic.
🚨 Eyewitness Accounts of Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
Dr. Tanya hash Hassan, a Pediatric Intensive Care surgeon, shared her firsthand experiences from Gaza, detailing the civilian massacres, school attacks, and the targeting of aid sites. She spoke of the overwhelming number of children who have lost their families, coining the term 'Wounded Child with No Surviving Family (WCNSF)' to describe the orphaned and injured. The account included stories of children on the brink of death and the dire circumstances they face post-recovery, such as direct bombing, starvation, and disease. The polio outbreak in Gaza was also mentioned, emphasizing the collapse of the healthcare system and the dire need for international attention and action.
😢 Personal Stories of Suffering and Resilience in Gaza
The panel continued with Dr. Hassan recounting personal stories of individuals affected by the conflict in Gaza. A young boy with severe facial injuries and his sister, who was burned beyond recognition, were among the victims she described. The boy's wish to join his family in heaven underscored the depth of the emotional trauma. Additionally, a dedicated nurse's experience of being detained and tortured, and his subsequent work in the emergency department, highlighted the resilience and commitment of healthcare workers amidst immense personal loss. These stories serve to humanize the statistics and bring attention to the urgent need for change in U.S. policy towards Gaza.
🌐 The Uncommitted Movement's Call for Democratic Party Action
Leila alabed, co-chair of the uncommitted national movement, addressed the DNC, emphasizing the critical moment for the Democratic Party to uphold its values of freedom, equality, and justice. She called for an arms embargo, a ceasefire, and an end to war, arguing that silence in the face of suffering equates to complicity. Alabed connected the struggle for Palestinian rights with other social justice movements, urging the party to recognize the equal rights of Palestinians and to take moral action in line with its historical commitment to justice.
🛡️ Protests and President Biden's Remarks on Gaza at DNC
During President Biden's speech at the DNC, delegates from the group 'Delegates Against'
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Democratic National Convention (DNC)
💡Grassroots organizing
💡Palestine
💡Human rights
💡Gaza
💡Civilian massacre
💡UNCOMMITTED movement
Highlights
First ever panel on Palestinian human rights at the DNC, moderated by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
Grassroots organizing against US support for Israel's assault on Gaza led to the panel's announcement.
Panelist Andy1 Hala hijazi spoke on the historic significance of discussing Palestine at the DNC.
Jesse Jackson's role in elevating the issue of Palestine at previous conventions was highlighted.
The panel was a bottom-up movement initiated by activists across the country.
Dr. Tanya hash Hassan, a Pediatric Intensive Care surgeon, shared her experiences in Gaza with Doctors Without Borders.
Hassan described civilian massacres, including school and flower massacres, and the targeting of aid sites in Gaza.
Over 177,000 children in Gaza have lost one or both parents since October, according to Hassan.
Reports of the first cases of polio in Gaza emerged amidst a healthcare system annihilated by military assault.
Hassan shared personal stories of children and healthcare workers affected by the conflict in Gaza.
Leila alabed, co-chair of the uncommitted movement, called for the Democratic Party to stand for justice and end its silence on the suffering in Gaza.
Alabed emphasized the importance of recognizing the Palestinian struggle within the Democratic Party.
President Biden's brief mention of Israel's war on Gaza and his commitment to humanitarian aid during his DNC speech.
Transcripts
this is democracy Now
democracynow.org War peace in the
presidency breaking with convention I'm
Amy Goodman here in Chicago with Juan
Gonzalez well the opening day of the
democratic convention on Monday featured
the first ever panel on Palestinian
human rights at the DNC the panel was
announced just a day earlier and came
after persistent Grassroots organizing
against us support for Israel's assault
on Gaza the panel was moderated by
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
and featured former Michigan Congress
member andy1 Hala hijazi a democratic
organizer and fundraiser who's had over
100 family members killed in Gaza Dr
Tanya hash Hassan a Pediatric Intensive
Care surgeon who served in Gaza many
times Leila alabed the co-chair of the
uncommitted movement and James Z
a former longtime executive member of
the Democratic National Committee and
the founder of the Arab American
Institute zagi began by speaking about
the significance of the first ever panel
on Palestinian rights being held at the
DNC I have been doing this for most of
my life like 50 years and um remember
when we couldn't get the issue of
Palestine discussed at the Coalition for
a new foreign and military policy that
was all the left groups because because
they said if you let the Arabs in we'll
we'll lose our credibility and when the
anniversary of Dr King's March happened
again we were invited to be on the
steering committee and they said H if
you let the Arabs in it'll hurt our
credibility and so we were asked to
leave um Jesse Jackson made all the
difference in the world because he
elevated the
issue and he elevated those of us who
rais the issue and the last two times
the only only two times that the word
Palestine was mentioned at a democratic
convention was 1984 1988 with Jesse
Jackson when when he spoke in his speech
about it and he invited me first to give
him a nominating speech where I talked
about Justice for Palestinians and then
in ' 88 we had a platform fight an
actual platform debate from the podium
of the convention unjustice for
Palestinians so we've come a long way
people say to me well you just being
optimistic you're just saying you know
cup is half full I say no I remember
when we didn't have a
cup and we are now with a cup and
filling it up so when I look at this
panel today it is not the prize the
prize is a change in policy that's the
prize but what's historic here is that
we are having an officially sanctioned
panel to talk about it like I said it's
not the main prize it's not the big
prize but it is something I do not want
to dismiss for a minute as to how
significant this is about what message
the Harris campaign is sending by saying
we want to talk about this and hear you
talk about
it and so I've heard some grumbling you
know I quote Willie Barrow friend of
mine from the Jackson campaign in the '
80s who said we ain't never been here
before she'd say we ain't never been
here we've never had this forum before
and it is not like I said the end it's
the beginning of a process and the
difference is and I told this to ilila
and uh and abas last night that when we
raised it in 84 and 88 we did so because
Jesse Jackson enabled us it was a top
down there were people in our Jackson
Coalition who were reever you sure you
want to do this are you sure you want to
talk about this he said damn it I'm
doing it I've been doing it from the
beginning we're not backing away this is
different no C
elevated this movement this was a bottom
up this was aboss this was Lea this was
wed this was activists across the
country who said we're not
taking
and part of recognition of that is that
we're having a forum a recognized I've
been a lot of the Forum since this day
has begun you know i' I've been to a
number of these sessions this is the
largest audience I've seen for any one
of
them that was James zogby the former
longtime executive member of the
Democratic National Committee and the
founder of The arab-american Institute
one of the most emotional parts of the
panel came during comments by Dr Tan
haaj Hassan a Pediatric Intensive Care
surgeon who has been to Gaza several
times over the past 10 months with the a
group Doctors Without Borders and other
groups she spoke about some of what she
witnessed in
Gaza for the past 10 months we have
witnessed civilian Massacre after
civilian Massacre School massacres were
interally displaced people were
Sheltering the flower
Massacre massacres of people trying to
collect water massacr of people
collecting Aid at Aid sites Massacre
after civilian Massacre entire families
uh exterminated in one single
bomb humanitarians healthcare workers
killed at and journalists killed at
record in record numbers pediatric
amputations amputations and children
that are breaking records over 177,000
children who have lost one or both
parents since October in in
Gaza we we have treated so many children
who have lost their entire
family that it
has a a term has been coined to describe
these children you've probably heard it
wounded child no surviving family W cnsf
this is a term that has been coined
since October to describe this very
frequent phenomenon that I personally
witnessed more times than I can count
while I was
there for children uh I have held the
hand of children who are taking their
last gasps because their entire family
was killed in the same attack and
couldn't be there holding their hand in
comforting them and could not bury them
thereafter for the children who I
treated who were discharged they were
and
survived they face a Russian Roulette of
a 100 ways that they will likely and
potentially die when they leave the
hospital due to the circumstances
incompatible with life that have been
architectured by this military assault
direct bombing starvation dehydration
disease alarming reports of the first
cases of polio in Gaza right now polio
is a potentially deadly disease that
causes paralysis including paralysis of
the muscles needed to breathe that has
been eradicated for
decades in that region there's been a
polio vaccination campaign that
essentially has eradicated the disease
from from the majority of the world and
now we're seeing cases emerging in a uh
area of the world that cannot that has a
a healthcare system that has been
completely and entirely
annihilated I mentioned these wounded
children with no surviving family I'm
going to give you two quick stories just
so that you can humanize what I mean
when I say this CU I know it's really
hard to hear these numbers and and think
about individuals and what this means to
them I received a young boy into the
emergency department during one of the
mass casualties who had half of his face
and neck blown
off luckily the organs that are vital
for breathing and blood supply to the
brain were preserved they were visible
but preserved and he was talking to us
he couldn't see himself so he didn't
know what he looked like at that point
in time and he kept asking for his
sister his sister was in the bed next to
him the majority of her body was burned
beyond
recognition he didn't recognize that the
girl in the bed next to him was his
sister his entire family parents and the
rest of his siblings were killed in the
same attack that boy survived and the
next day I went to see him a very young
plastic surgeon one of the few remaining
plastic surgeons in Gaza because though
the others have either been killed or
have had have fled understandably had
removed part of his chest and created a
graft to cover that those vital organs
of the neck he was lying in his bed and
mumbling cuz it was so difficult to talk
and he kept saying I got really close to
him and he said I wish I had died too
and I said what and he said I think my
entire family has gone to heaven it's
not my entire family his exact words
were something perfective everybody I
love is now in heaven I don't want to be
here anymore that is one of so many
stories I'm giving you I'm so sorry Lea
but I think people need to hear this I'm
giving you the story of one child
one of my healthcare worker colleagues a
young nurse one of the most dedicated
nurses I've ever met was trying to
evacuate a patient when alifa hospital
was bombed from north to south he
carried that
patient was eventually called by Israeli
forces not by name but by uniform you
the person in Scrubs come here he was
subsequently detained for 53 days he
reported physical sexual and
psychological torture while in DET Enon
and ultimately released because he had
no
crime after he was released he worked
constantly because one he was so
dedicated and two he suffered from
severe insomnia from the trauma of his
detention he was always in the
resuscitation room of the emergency
department cleaning out sand from the
eyes of people pulled from under the
rubble trying to comfort
them one
day overnight he he fell asleep holding
the the body of a dead child still with
the breathing tube in after they had
failed to resuscitate the
infant another day I asked him to go
home because he hadn't slept in so many
hours so he left the hospital a couple
hours later I see him in the emergency
department trying to resuscitate a man
who whose arms and leg sorry whose both
legs and one arm had been blown
off I asked him what he was doing in the
hospital I thought you went home to rest
and he said this is my sister's husband
they woke me up to tell me that the Aid
distribution site had been bombed and my
sister's husband had gone there so I
went to find him and
found him severely injured so I helped
him resuscitate this patient his home
has been destroyed he's he's a young man
he's engaged he's trying to get married
he had a whole life ahead of him and he
was a very dedicated healthcare worker
I'm giving you two stories a child and a
healthcare worker but these are
representative of literally almost
everybody I know in Gaza I don't know a
single healthcare worker who has not
lost multiple members of their
family
so as you as the US continues to fund
this military campaign unconditionally
and somewhat blindly in start contrast
to documented realities on the ground in
start contrast
to the findings of the international
court of justice of plausible genocide
and in stark contrast to the universal
Global condemnation of humanitarian and
human rights
organizations we have no choice but to
exert as much pressure as possible and
use all the leverage we
can to change direction uh the direction
that this country is
taking that was Dr Tanya hashas a
Pediatric Intensive Care surgeon who's
volunteered in Gaza hospitals a number
of times Lea alabed the co-chair of the
uncommitted national movement who was
seated right next to her was overcome
with emotion and briefly walked out
during hash Hassan's comments Leila
alabed later responded to a question
about the plans for the uncommitted
movement between now and
November we stand at a very crucial
moment for our party
the Democratic Party The Party of the
party of my father the party that has
stood up for justice is being
tested will it rise for the occasion and
stand for the values that it was built
on freedom equality
Justice or will it remain silent in the
face of unimaginable
suffering if we remain silent and we
become
complicit but if we stand up and demand
action an arms embargo a ceasefire an
end to
war we may have an
opportunity to restore the soul of the
democratic party and unite us under a
big
tent the listen to Michigan and the
uncommitted national
movement is is in the fight for the soul
of the democratic
[Music]
party I want to quote Fanny Lamer who
wasn't allowed to speak from the
stage at the 1964 Democratic National
Convention because of her
identity I question
America is this America the land of the
free and the home of the
brave all we are doing right now is in
the tradition of Fanny Lamer and the
Mississippi Freedom
Party and the civil rights movement of
the 1964 Democratic party convention
bringing moral
witness to the most powerful political
party in the world to listen to voices
deeply impacted by our US policy
decisions we aren't that different from
any other
movement from unions civil rights
gay marriage Reproductive Rights or
climate
Justice we are fighting to be
recognized to be part of this party and
we are fighting for this party to
believe in our equal
rights Hela and I shouldn't have to
stand up here and tell you the suffering
of our family
members for Democrats and for this
Administration and for vice president
Harris to want to do the moral and right
thing to
do Leila alabid is co-chair of the
uncommitted movements speaking at the
first ever panel on Palestinian human
rights here at the
DNC this is democracy Now
democracynow.org War peace in the
presidency breaking with convention I'm
Amy Goodman with Juan
Gonzalez on Monday night President Biden
headlined the opening night of the
Democratic National Convention Biden
speech came less than a month after he
announced uh he ended his re-election
campaign Paving the way for vice
president kamla Harris's nomination on
Monday night Biden briefly spoke about
Israel's war on Gaza we're working
around the clock my secretary of state
to prevent a wider war and reunite
hostages of their families and surge
humanitarian health and food assistance
into Gaza
now to
end the civilian suffering of the
Palestinian people and finally finally
finally deliver a ceasefire and end this
war those Pro those protesters out in
the street they have a point a lot of
innocent people are being killed on both
sides a few minutes into President
Biden's remarks
three delegates part of delegates
against genocide dropped a banner that
read stop arming Israel we were inside
the convention floor right next to the
Florida delegation where it happened
well some delegates snatched the banner
away many others of the Florida
delegation quickly raised Joe Biden
placards that said thank you Joe and we
love Joe to block any view of the banner
the protesting delegates who dropped the
banner were quickly escorted from the
convention floor by security we're going
to go to that moment inside the
convention on opening
night looking in the future
[Music]
[Applause]
get him out he's
her sir
sir sir we're trying to listen to the
president what are you
doing the only way
is protest what's your name sir sir
what's your name my name is leano Sharon
I'm a DNC delegate from
Michigan and what did you do today today
we held up a sign uh uh uh protesting
the murder of children in Gaza and the
continuing genocide watch the step watch
Step what did the sign
say it said stop stop arming Israel all
right thank you let's keep it going
watch get get tunnel you can interview
him in the tunnel okay and what happened
that I just don't want you to break your
ankles then uh the uh people behind us
grabbed a hold of the sign and tried to
rip it out of our hand several times
eventually they succeeded interview the
hall okay let's get him down come on all
right thanks for being cooperative sir
okay thank you and why did and why did
you do it I did that because we are we
we are currently funding a genocide and
we need to and it needs to stop and also
I want I want to uh I want to uh make it
clear uh to the Harris campaign that
this is actually in their interest
Netanyahu is trying to instigate a
larger War so he can remain in power and
avoid going to prison in order to move
Netanyahu off of his current position of
trying to expand the war in order to
stay in power and remain out of jail uh
we believe that that the US needs to
stop arming Israel needs to have an
embargo against against their um uh uh
against their genocide uh otherwise then
Yahoo isn't doesn't have the incentive
to stop the genocide to stop the mass
murder why does this matter to you so
much it matters to me so much because
I'm a Jew and I was always brought up to
believe that never again means never
again for anyone every anywhere ever
period and that's not what's happening
right now what's happening right now is
that we are we are continuing to fund
and support an ongoing genocide uh the
mass murder of children and it needs to
stop voices from inside the Democratic
National Convention Monday night during
President Biden's remarks special thanks
to Sam alov hanim massud and nuring
shake it was when three of the delegates
part of a group called delegates against
genocide dropped a banner that read stop
arming
Israel e
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