Members of the Democratic National Committee on Tuesday rejected a proposal for the party to endorse an arms embargo on Israel — sparking anger among antiwar activists and signaling that the debate about the party’s approach to Israel-Palestine remains far from settled.
The DNC’s rules panel voted down the resolution, which means it will not receive a full vote among DNC members who have gathered in Minneapolis for the party’s summer meeting.
Notably, the panel also rejected suggestions to amend the language so it only referred to offensive weapons. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers have opposed offensive military equipment for Israel — including through a high-profile Senate vote last month — noting the high civilian toll of Israel’s ongoing U.S.-backed attacks in Gaza and extensive allegations of Israeli war crimes. The resolution also included a call for recognizing Palestinian statehood, as U.S. allies France and Britain are preparing to do.
Margaret DeReus, the director of the policy project at the pro-Palestinian Institute for Middle East Understanding, issued a statement following the vote calling the development “standard practice for a historically unpopular Democratic leadership that will not win elections until it decides to become a political party that actually listens to its voters.”
