MINNEAPOLIS—Those in the Democratic Party who believe their party is not taking the strong positions on issues that it should be taking have reason to be concerned again this week as the Democratic National Committee debates tomorrow, August 27, the question of cutting off military aid to Israel because of its war on Gaza.
On one Democratic side are traditional supporters of Israel. They’re motivated by longstanding ties and—for some—fear of political retribution from the extreme right-wing American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
They favor continuing arms aid to the extreme nationalist Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu, despite the carnage of his government’s war on Gaza and Gazans: 60,000 dead, more than 100,000 injured, two million refugees, a veritable wasteland of wrecked buildings and infrastructure, and growing famine.
That group says it wants a “ceasefire” and peace talks between both Netanyahu and Hamas.
On the other side are 25 of the party’s 45 U.S. senators, plus both independents. They’re led by Bernie Sanders, Ind.-Vt., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. An overwhelming majority of rank-and-file Democrats also now oppose the military aid. One poll puts party support for Israeli aid at 8%.
The conflict played out in the Democratic National Committee’s Resolutions Subcommittee, which ended up calling for the weaker approach. Both sides predict a floor fight tomorrow at the full committee on August 27, the last day of its summer meeting in Minneapolis.
Military aid foes are not confident of winning. Such a resolution would need a supermajority of votes from committee members. There will be “a lively debate,” one speaker predicted at the August 24 meeting of the Progressive Democrats of America.
By contrast, the Republicans are in lockstep behind despotic President Donald Trump, who fully supports Israeli aid and its obliteration of Gaza. Israel uses the U.S. aid to buy U.S. planes, bombs, arms and ammo its military uses in the war.
“The whole world is watching in horror as crimes against humanity are being committed on a daily basis by the Israeli government against the people of Gaza,” said PDA Executive Director Alan Minsky. “We have a moral obligation to do what we can to stop the slaughter, but most people feel powerless.
“It is well understood Israel would not be able to maintain the siege of Gaza without the steady flow of U.S. weapons. Therefore, all people of conscience should demand the U.S. government stop supplying arms to Israel.”
Roots Action Political Director Sam Rosenthal added “It is time for the DNC to align its platform with voters in the Democratic Party. That’s why the DNC should pass the ‘Resolution on Gaza’ at its upcoming meeting in Minneapolis.” Rosenthal was the speaker who informed the others of the 8% poll support for the aid.
“At the same time, leaders in the Democratic Party continue to support Israel’s genocidal campaign. Martin and DNC leaders also have aimed to blunt the power of the resolution on Gaza by introducing their own, watered-down resolution that stops far short of calling for an end to arms shipments to Israel.
“The DNC should signal the party is ready” to change its position on the war, he added.
DNC leaders took time out from their battle over the war to join hands on a domestic issue: Workers’ rights and the wrongs to workers from the GOP Trump regime, specifically the obliteration of 30 union contracts covering a million federal workers.
That, and a dues cutoff, has cost the Government Employees (AFGE) alone 100,000 members, speakers said at an outdoor press conference at the Minnesota AFL-CIO booth at the Minnesota state fair. That’s just a prelude, they warned.
“First the Trump administration is coming for federal workers, and then they’re coming for all of us,” stated Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union President Stuart Applebaum, a DNC member. “Donald Trump is the biggest union-buster in the history of the country.”
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