WITH THE DEMOCRATIC primary season winding down, members of the Squad are speaking more directly than ever about the role that the pro-Israel lobby played in silencing critics of Israel’s human rights abuses in Congress, as well as Democrats’ complicity.
As the Democratic National Convention entered its final day in Chicago, the topic of the war on Gaza and the role of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in elections had been largely absent from the main stage. No Palestinian speakers got time on the dais, despite the protest efforts from the “Uncommitted” movement this week.
Instead, the conversation among Democrats about pushing for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, an end to U.S. weapons shipments to Israel, and the party’s role in allowing AIPAC to shape its primaries has been taking place outside the United Center, where progressives held protests to hold convention delegates’ feet to the fire.
And victims of AIPAC’s political campaigns were on hand to add their voices to the demonstrations.
They contribute to primary challengers against progressives, which is enough for centrists to consider them allies.
So does Hakeem Jeffries’ BluePac, and that’s why leadership gave him a promotion.
They’ve been so busy building the party to be fully accessible to financial interests that the corruption is what stands out most prominently to a public that can’t tell the difference between either party.