The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has come under fire for dismissing resolutions critical of Israel, despite polls showing strong opposition to Israeli actions among Democratic voters. At a meeting in New Orleans last week, the DNC’s resolutions committee quickly discarded two proposals—one calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and conditioning US weapons transfers, and another opposing military actions that endanger civilians in Iran. The resolutions were referred to a Middle East working group that has rarely met since its creation in August 2024.
Critics argue the DNC is out of touch with its base. A Quinnipiac poll last summer found 77% of Democrats believe Israel is committing genocide, while an NBC poll showed 67% sympathise more with Palestinians than Israelis. Yet party leaders continue to sideline such views. Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, praised the DNC’s rejection of the resolutions, calling them “out of step” with party policy—a description the article’s author says highlights the leadership’s disconnect.
The working group, chaired by DNC head Ken Martin, includes only a minority of members with a record of supporting Palestinian rights, with several described as “fervent Zionists”. This composition, the article suggests, is designed to stall rather than address the issue. The author notes that similar disregard for voter opinion harmed Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign, as she failed to distance herself from the Biden administration’s arming of Israel.
Former Obama deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes is quoted describing a “fatal blind spot within American liberalism” that devalues human life in managing empire. The article concludes that DNC leaders are guilty of “moral incompetence” by ignoring the views of their own voters on Israel.
