Democratic National Committee delegates on Monday evening by voice vote adopted the party’s 2024 platform at their convention, a document that echoes President Joe Biden more than Vice President Kamala Harris and contains no call for an arms embargo on Israel as pro-Palestinian delegates and some uncommitted delegates had wanted.
The full, 92-page draft platform, unveiled by the party late on Sunday night, was written before President Joe Biden left the 2024 race, and was voted upon by the DNC’s Rules Committee in July.
It has not been updated significantly since Harris replaced him at the top of the ticket.
Biden is mentioned 287 times in the platform, while Harris is mentioned 32 times.
President Joe Biden does a stage check before the start of the first day of the Democratic National Convention, in Chicago, Aug. 19, 2024.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
“It makes a strong statement about the historic work that President Biden and Vice President Harris have accomplished hand-in-hand,” according to a release from the DNC, “and offers a vision for a progressive agenda that we can build on as a nation and as a Party as we head into the next four years.”
The platform emphasizes Biden’s support for brokering an “immediate and lasting ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas that “once finalized secures the return of all hostages, including the remaining Americans held in Gaza, addresses the immense civilian pain and extreme suffering being caused by the conflict, including the displacement and death of so many innocent people in Gaza; results in a durable end to the war in Gaza; and sets the stage for a lasting regional peace.”
Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris waves as she steps off Air Force Two upon arrival in Chicago, Aug. 18, 2024.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
The document also says that Biden has “made real progress on a way forward that will free the hostages” and “establish a durable ceasefire” as well as “meaningful progress and a political horizon for the Palestinian people.”
It does not, however, say that the party supports an arms embargo on Israel — as progressives have been pushing for and protesters outside the conventional hall have demanded.
It does highlight Biden’s support for combating antisemitism.
Demonstrators prepare for start of the ‘March on the DNC’ during the first day of the Democratic National Convention Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
Notably, it makes nearly 20 mentions of the president’s “second term.”
Minyon Moore, Chair of the 2024 Democratic National Convention Committee and Jaime R. Harrison, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, open Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention, in Chicago, Aug. 19, 2024.
Mike Segar/Reuters
It highlights Biden’s continued support for reproductive rights, Ukraine funding, border protections and more.
“In President Biden’s second term, he will continue selecting judges who will protect fundamental rights and who represent the diversity of the American experience.”
“And in his second term, President Biden will continue to support access to FDA-approved medication abortion, appoint leaders at the FDA who respect science, and appoint judges who uphold fundamental freedoms.”
“In President Biden’s second term, he will push Congress to provide the resources and authorities that we need to secure the border.”
“President Biden will never turn his back on our allies,’ it says. “In his second term, he will continue to stand with Ukraine to stop Putin’s atrocities and constrain Russia’s threat to allied nations and America’s vital interests.”
The Democratic National Committee recently released its official party platform for the 2020 election, and it has sparked some controversy among progressive Democrats. One of the key points of contention is the absence of an arms embargo on Israel, a move that has been championed by Senator Kamala Harris but ultimately left out of the final platform.
The platform, which was heavily influenced by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, reflects his more moderate views on foreign policy and Israel. Biden has a long history of supporting Israel and has been a vocal critic of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks to put economic pressure on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories.
On the other hand, Senator Harris has been more critical of Israel’s actions in the past and has called for a more balanced approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She has also expressed support for conditioning U.S. aid to Israel on its adherence to international law and human rights standards.
The decision to exclude an arms embargo on Israel from the DNC platform has disappointed many progressive Democrats who were hoping for a more forceful stance on the issue. Critics argue that the U.S. should not be providing military aid to a country that is engaged in human rights abuses and violations of international law.
However, supporters of the decision point out that Israel is a key ally in the Middle East and that cutting off military aid could destabilize the region. They also argue that the U.S. should continue to support Israel’s right to defend itself against security threats.
Overall, the DNC platform reflects a balancing act between Biden’s more centrist views on Israel and Harris’ more progressive stance. While it may not satisfy everyone in the party, it represents a compromise that aims to appeal to a broad coalition of voters.
As the election approaches, it will be interesting to see how this issue plays out on the campaign trail and whether it will have any impact on voter turnout in November. Regardless of the outcome, it is clear that the debate over U.S. policy towards Israel will continue to be a contentious issue within the Democratic Party for years to come.
