Abandon Harris movement seeks third-party support amid Gaza war
4 Min Read
A group critical of US support for "Israel" has observed no significant divergence between Harris and Biden’s positions.
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Vice President and Democratic frontrunner Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally on August 7, 2024, in Romulus, Mich. (AP)
A group critical of US support for "Israel" in its war on Gaza has rebranded from "Abandon Biden" to "Abandon Harris", urging voters to support third-party candidates who advocate for an unconditional ceasefire.
Hassan Abdel Salam, the professor who founded the campaign, argued that abandoning Vice President Kamala Harris is the only way to show disapproval and hold the Democratic Party accountable for its policies.
“The only option for people of conscience is to abandon Harris—to punish her and the [Democratic] Party so that they know they can never put genocide on the ballot,” stressed Hassan Abdel Salam.
While some pro-Palestinian activists initially noted Harris’ focus on humanitarian concerns in Gaza and awaited a potential shift from President Biden’s stance, Abdel Salam has observed no significant divergence between Harris’ and Biden’s positions. It is worth noting that he has been planning to join thousands of demonstrators in Chicago who are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Not an isolated incident
In the same context, a pro-Palestine protester rushed, on Monday, onto the stage at the Democratic National Convention's welcome party at Navy Pier, Chicago, took the mic, and called out the Biden-Harris administration for funding the Israeli occupation.
Footage of the incident circulating online shows the protester being escorted off stage.
Pro-Palestine protesters have committed to protesting at the DNC to send a message to the administration calling for a weapons embargo on "Israel".
Kamala Harris denies intention to consider Israeli arms embargo
Earlier this month, US Vice President and Democratic frontrunner Kamala Harris' team released a statement announcing that she will not be discussing an arms embargo on "Israel" after two far-left activists from the Uncommitted movement claimed she exhibited openness to do so.
The Times of Israel reported, on August 8, citing The New York Times, that Harris met with two Arab Americans leading the Uncommitted National Movement, who asked her to consider an arms embargo on "Israel", at a campaign stop in Michigan.
Just before her rally, Harris met with Abbas Alawieh and Layla Elabed, who, according to NYT's report, "wanted to support her but... wanted her to consider an arms embargo." In response, Harris indicated she was "open to it" and introduced the two community leaders to her staff.
Harris' team statement in response read, “Since October 7, the vice president has prioritized engaging with Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian community members and others regarding the war in Gaza... In this brief engagement, she reaffirmed that her campaign will continue to engage with those communities.”
It added, "The vice president has been clear: she will always work to ensure Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups. The Vice President is focused on securing the ceasefire and hostage deal currently on the table.”
“As she has said, it is time for this war to end in a way where: Israel is secure, hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinian civilians ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, and self-determination.”
It is worth noting that the Biden administration has delivered substantial amounts of munitions to "Israel", including over 10,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of Hellfire missiles, since the onset of the war on Gaza, Reuters reported in June, citing two American officials familiar with an updated weapons shipment list.
The Washington Post then reported, citing a senior administration official, that the US supplied "Israel" with over $6.5 billion in military supplies dubbed as aid by the end of June since the beginning of the war on Gaza last October, including nearly $3 billion approved in May.
