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<\/a><\/p>\nAllison Minnerly, a new Gen Z DNC member from Florida, speaks about a resolution she proposed seeking to block arms sales to Israel and recognize a Palestinian state. (Screenshot)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The resolution, which was proposed by Allison Minnerly, a new Gen Z member from Florida, would have joined the growing chorus of calls in the House and Senate in recent weeks to block weapons sales to Israel. Following debate over the resolution Tuesday morning at the DNC\u2019s summer meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the resolution received a resolute bloc of \u201cnay\u201d votes from the panel.<\/p>\n
Another resolution proposed by DNC Chairman Ken Martin which called for the unrestricted flow of aid to Gaza, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and a \u201ctwo state solution negotiated through direct bilateral negotiations\u201d was passed unanimously by the committee.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne thing all of us in this room agree on is that the crisis in Gaza is urgent,\u201d said Martin during the panel meeting. \u201cThis resolution is focused on the humanitarian crisis and makes clear that it must be addressed as the emergency that it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin\u2019s resolution echoes long-standing positions on Israel held by the Democratic party as outlined in its 2024 platform, which affirmed that former President Joe Biden had worked \u201ctirelessly\u201d to ensure the \u201cunimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.\u201d<\/p>\n
The debate over the two resolutions reflects a growing divide among Democrats over their stances on Israel as support for the country\u2019s ongoing offensive in Gaza has sharply declined in the past year.<\/p>\n
A recent Gallup poll found that among Democratic voters, approval for Israel\u2019s war in Gaza had fallen from 36% in November 2023 to just 8% last month.<\/p>\n
The DNC vote comes weeks after a record number of Senate Democrats voted in favor of two resolutions by Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Jewish Independent from Vermont, seeking to block U.S. military sales to Israel. In the House, a growing number of Democrats are also signing onto a bill that would withhold the transfer of offensive weapons to Israel.<\/p>\n
Despite waning support among Democratic lawmakers for Israel amid reports of mass starvation and journalists killed in the embattled enclave, the DNC appeared unready to wade into controversial positions such as an arms embargo.<\/p>\n
Ahead of the debate over the arms embargo resolution, Minnerly called on the party to \u201cfollow the will of our voters and call for an end to US involvement in this particular tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a moment that calls for leadership, listening and hard conversations,\u201d Minnerly said. \u201cWe urge that beyond calling for a ceasefire, that we acknowledge the devastation and we also outline actionable items for our elected officials with the Democratic Party to align ourselves with the voters of our base.\u201d<\/p>\n
Minnerly told the Washington Post that after submitting her resolution, DNC staff contacted her to make \u201cclear that they didn\u2019t think that this resolution was the right thing for this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
During Tuesday\u2019s debate over the resolution, Harini Krishnan, a member from California, criticized the resolution for failing to put \u201cany onus on a militant group that I think is also oppressing the Palestinian people,\u201d referring to Hamas. She added that she hoped that \u201cas a party, we can move beyond this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a statement earlier this month, the Democratic Majority for Israel, an advocacy group, also called on DNC members to reject the resolution, calling it \u201cflawed\u201d and \u201cirresponsible\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShould it advance, it will further divide our Party, provide a gift to Republicans, and send a signal that will embolden Israel\u2019s adversaries,\u201d said DMI president and CEO Brian Romick in a statement. \u201cAs we get closer to the midterms, Democrats need to be united, not continuing intra-party fights that don\u2019t get us closer to taking back Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Sophia Danenberg, a member from Washington, said that passing Martin\u2019s resolution was \u201cnot enough,\u201d adding that \u201cpeople want to hear a louder, stronger statement, and that this isn\u2019t the time for subtlety.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOct. 7th does not justify the actions of this right-wing regime massacring and starving and slaughtering the Palestinian people,\u201d Danenberg said, later adding, \u201cI do fear that we\u2019re losing our future as a Democratic Party by not being courageous on this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
The DNC, like its Republican counterpart, is charged with establishing the party platform, synching up candidate messaging across multiple elections and publicizing the national party \u201cbrand.\u201d<\/p>\n