What are the gains and losses for Palestinian advocates at the DNC?

The lack of Palestinian representation on stage at last week's Democratic National Convention in Chicago was a disappointing decision for many in the party's base for what was otherwise a 'joyful' gathering.

Despite this obvious disappointment, some civil society leaders are pointing to signs of progress in the representation of Palestinian advocacy at the convention.

Probably the biggest win for Palestinians at the DNC was when Kamala Harris, after accepting the party's presidential nomination, said, "What has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost. Desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety. Over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking."

"President Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realise their right to dignity," she continued. The audience's applause drowned out her subsequent words.

It was clear that a substantial number of DNC attendees wanted to see their party's support for Palestinian human rights, particularly in light of Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, which has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians. A similar reaction was seen in the audience's reactions to speeches by Senator Bernie Sanders and several other speakers who mentioned Gaza.

"This was my 11th convention, and it was different," James Zogby, veteran pollster and president of the Arab American Institute, told The New Arab. "It was a people-powered movement from the bottom up. [Raphael] Warnock, Bernie and [Keith] Ellison got the same applause. This is where the Democratic base is, and it has to be recognised."

In a press release following the convention, Emgage, a Muslim voter advocacy group, noted the widespread displays of keffiyehs, including one worn by the vice president's niece, as well as other signs of support for Palestinians, showing the growing momentum of their movement.

Moreover, panel discussions on Gaza drew standing-room only crowds, another sign of the public's interest in the issue. This public interest, in turn, led to major press coverage of Gaza at the convention.

Of course, for advocates of Palestinian human rights, the real prize would be a change in US policy and complicity in terms of weapons transfers to Israel and US pressure on its ally to end Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.

Zogby said, "The prize is in changing policy, but the prize is also in adding up the pieces and in having an issue recognised like it wasn't recognised before."