‘March on DNC’: US pro-Gaza protesters call for end to Israeli genocide

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters have marched in the US city of Chicago on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to call for an end to the government’s support for Israel in its genocidal aggression against the Gaza Strip.

The demonstration took place on Monday, hours before speeches began at the DNC where Democratic delegates publicly nominated US Vice President Kamala Harris as their presidential candidate.

The protesters carried Palestinian flags and signs reading, “Democrats fund the genocide of Palestinians,” “Both Democrats & Republicans have blood on their hands,” “No votes 4 Kamala until arms embargo 4 Israel,” “Stand with Palestine! End US aid to Israel!” and “Resistance is justified when people are occupied”.

Chanting slogans such as "Killer Kamala,” they called on the Democratic candidate to break with President Joe Biden position’s on the brutal Israeli war that has killed a shocking number of Palestinians in Gaza.

They also demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as well as an arms embargo on the occupying regime.

“Are we for mass murdering babies, or are we against it? To me, it’s a pretty simple equation,” protester Rich Barnes told Al Jazeera TV network.

“I’m worried because I feel like there’s not going to be any big, major change with her (Harris). We’re trying to put as much pressure on from the left to say: ‘Listen, you can’t expect our vote.”

Harris has acknowledged Palestinian suffering in Gaza, but she has not promised any actual policy change on Israel.

Aide rejects report about Harris intention to discuss Israel arms embargo

A top aide to US Vice President Harris Kamala Harris says the Democratic presidential nominee does not support an arms embargo on Israel, denying an assertion by a pro-Palestinian group organization that she is open to discussing the issue.

Amal Jaber, a teacher from the state of Wisconsin who participated at Monday’s rally, dismissed Harris’s professed empathy for Palestinians as “lip service”.

“We need to see action,” Jaber said. “Palestinians are still being killed today. Unless we see real change, I don’t see the Muslim community in Wisconsin supporting Kamala Harris right now. Enough is enough.”

First Palestinian rights panel at DNC

Meanwhile, the DNC featured its first-ever panel on Palestinian human rights.

Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care surgeon who recently served in Gaza and Hala Hijazi, a Democratic organizer who has had over 100 family members killed in the Israeli offensive, were among those speaking at the panel.

Haj-Hassan relayed the story of a young boy whose family was killed and who told her he no longer wanted to live because everyone he loved was in heaven

Hijazi said she feels like she owes her family to speak out on Gaza, adding, “My family’s dead…  And I feel guilty because for 25 years I’ve been living my American dream while they are struggling.”

Israel waged its bloody Gaza onslaught on October 7 following a historic operation by the Palestinian Hamas resistance group against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 40,173 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 92,857 others.

The US remains Israel’s most important ally and biggest supplier of arms. It has provided Israel with weapons and intelligence support during the Gaza war and blocked UN resolutions calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian territory.

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