VP Harris’s Empty Rhetoric at the DNC: A Missed Chance for Real Change [WASHINGTON D.C., August 23, 2024] - Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) is deeply disappointed in Vice President Kamala Harris’ remarks at the Democratic National Convention last night. Throughout her speech, she dedicated her time to uplifting false and debunked accusations, using the passive voice to describe the genocide Palestinians are facing through her Administration’s supplied arms, promising to “always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself” the common trope for allowing Israel carte blanche to commit violence against Palestinians and it’s regional neighbors. Simply put, Vice President Harris failed to diverge from the same genocidal positions as President Biden.  In her speech, Vice President Harris reiterated her call for a ceasefire; however, ten months into an active genocide—where much of the devastation has already occurred—her administration's continued support for the Israeli regime with financial and military aid shows a disturbing lack of seriousness in achieving a ceasefire and stopping the ongoing slaughter of Palestinians. Her statement, devoid of any real substance or political strategy, is nothing new—many U.S. politicians have been calling for a ceasefire all year without taking proactive steps to back up their words. What we heard last night was not a genuine call for peace, but rather an attempt to appease Israel and the zionist lobby in the United States. By failing to address the urgent need for a substantive change in U.S. policy towards Palestine, Vice President Harris’s remarks only further emboldened the Israeli regime to continue its ethnic cleansing and occupation of Palestinians. There is no accountability being put into place—only a deepening of U.S. complicity in the ongoing atrocities. The Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim American communities represent a significant and growing voting bloc, and they will not be swayed by words alone. We urge the Vice President and the Democratic Party to take concrete steps toward ending the occupation, halting military aid that fuels the occupation, and supporting the rights of Palestinians to live in dignity and freedom. The next two months will be critical in determining whether Vice President Harris and the Democratic Party truly care about earning the support of our communities. AJP Action will continue to advocate for the policies that our communities need and deserve, and we will be watching closely to see if our leaders are willing to rise to this critical moment. In solidarity,
AJP Action | 
