Advocates for Palestinians Vie for Attention at Democratic Convention

Behind the scenes at the Democratic National Convention, delegates from Uncommitted, a movement calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza and an arms embargo on Israel, are demanding that a speaker of Palestinian descent address the convention from the main stage, as parents of a hostage being held in Gaza spoke on Wednesday evening.

The group urged the party in a statement on Wednesday to show balance “by ensuring Palestinian voices are heard on the main stage.” With the convention concluding Thursday, the group added, the absence of Palestinians addressing the gathering “sends a troubling message to our antiwar voters, suggesting they aren’t truly included in this party.”

The statement came after a Jewish magazine, The Forward, reported that the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was abducted from Israel on Oct. 7 in the Hamas-led attack that set off the war, would speak at the convention on Wednesday night. “We strongly support that decision and also strongly hope that we will also be hearing from Palestinians,” Uncommitted wrote.

Hours later, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, Chicago natives, took to the convention stage. Wearing pieces of masking tape with the number 320 — the number of days their son has been a hostage — they were greeted with a standing ovation and chants of “Bring them home!” Ms. Goldberg briefly broke down in tears.

“At this moment, 109 treasured human beings are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza,” she said. “They are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists.”

Ms. Goldberg noted that the hostages were from 23 countries, including eight Americans, one of which is her only son, who like the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, was born in Oakland, Calif. Part of his left arm was blown off by a Hamas grenade on the day he was abducted.