UAW calls for Palestinian American to speak at convention

The United Auto Workers (UAW) union joined calls for a Palestinian American to speak on the final night of Democratic National Convention, implying that the party risks losing the election amid ongoing protests over the administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

“If we want the war in Gaza to end, we can’t put our heads in the sand or ignore the voices of the Palestinian Americans in the Democratic Party,” the UAW wrote Thursday on social platform X. 

“If we want peace, if we want real democracy, and if we want to win this election, the Democratic Party must allow a Palestinian American speaker to be heard from the DNC stage tonight,” the union added.

Hundreds of thousands of people voted “uncommitted” during the presidential primaries as a sign of opposition to President Biden’s approach to the conflict and perceived embrace of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Vice President Harris, now at the top of the ticket after Biden withdrew from the race, is planning to send a message about the conflict during her remarks Thursday evening, although the speech will be focused mainly on policy issues including the economy and abortion.

The UAW endorsed Harris in the November election, and union President Shawn Fain spoke Monday on the opening night of the convention in Chicago. He did not mention the conflict during his remarks.

The union called for “an immediate, permanent cease-fire in Israel and Palestine” in December after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on the country sparked an Israeli offensive that has devastated Gaza.

Hamas killed around 1,200 people in the initial attack on Israel and abducted approximately 250 hostages. The local Health Ministry estimates that more than 40,000 Palestinians have since died in Gaza.

Pro-Palestinians protesters have gathered at the convention this week to condemn the administration’s policies on Israel and Gaza. The protesters have accused Biden and Harris of supporting what they claim is genocide, a term pro-Israel Democrats as well as most Republicans dispute and argue downplays Hamas’s role in the conflict.

While their ranks were smaller than expected during the initial days of the protests, which have been overwhelmingly peaceful, numerous protesters were reportedly arrested Tuesday during a clash with police.

The Democratic National Convention did not immediately return a request for comment. A list of speakers for Thursday has not yet been released.