Editor’s Note: Delegates Against Genocide, a coalition of delegates to the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC), issued the following press release on August 15, 2024.
Delegates Against Genocide, a coalition of delegates to the Democratic National Convention (DNC), call for all delegates to vote ‘No’ on the 2024 Democratic Party platform. The coalition objects to the platform’s failure to demand a permanent and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza enforced by a U.S. arms embargo on Israel.
“Voting ‘No’ on this platform is a stand for justice and human rights, it is a statement that NEVER AGAIN means NEVER AGAIN for everyone, everywhere, period,” said Liano Sharon, a representative of Delegates Against Genocide and elected DNC Member from Michigan. “The platform fails to address the ongoing mass murder and genocide by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank; it fails to hold those responsible for atrocities accountable, undermining our party’s commitment to international justice and democracy. We either support human rights everywhere, for everyone, or we aren’t supporting justice or democracy anywhere, for anyone. An injury to one is an injury to all, as every union member understands.”
Delegates Against Genocide also calls for the Democratic Party to fully enforce the Leahy Law, which prohibits U.S. military assistance to foreign security forces that commit gross human rights violations. The coalition demands that the United States actively engage with and support the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in their efforts to investigate and prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity, including those occurring in Palestine.
“The failure to address these critical issues not only undermines our credibility as a party committed to human rights but also perpetuates cycles of violence and impunity,” said Nadia Ahmad, an elected DNC Member from Florida. “We must take a stand for justice, both domestically and internationally. A ‘No’ vote on the platform sends a clear message that we, as Democrats, will not support policies that enable genocide, war crimes, and human rights abuses.”
Delegates Against Genocide urges all delegates to join them in voting “No” on the platform and to demand a revised platform that calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an arms embargo on Israel.
