(NewsNation) — A small but influential group of “uncommitted” delegates is poised to make waves at the Democratic National Convention over U.S. policy toward Israel.
Of the thousands of delegates gathering Monday, just 36 belong to the “uncommitted” movement sparked by dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
Their core demands remain unmet as Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to accept the presidential nomination.
The activists want Harris to endorse an arms embargo on Israel and a permanent cease-fire. While Harris has supported negotiations for a cease-fire, she has rejected calls for an arms embargo.
The group has requested a convention speaking slot for a doctor who has worked in Gaza and a meeting with Harris to discuss updating Gaza policy. They also hope to include language in the party platform calling for a moratorium on U.S. weapons use by Israel.
Top Democrats have engaged in weeks of outreach to address criticism in key swing states with significant Arab American populations. Harris met with Abdullah Hammoud, mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, which has the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the U.S.
Despite these efforts, the uncommitted delegates plan to voice their objections to the party’s pro-Israel stance at the convention.
Yaz Kader, a Palestinian American and uncommitted delegate from Washington state, says their goal is party unity, not division.
“We are actually trying to bring the party together,” Kader said on NewsNation’s “Dan Abrams Live.”
Kader claims these positions align with the majority of Democratic voters, citing that over 80% of Democrats want an immediate cease-fire and 60% support conditioning aid to Israel.
Despite the likelihood that their demands won’t be met, Kader says the group will continue to push their message.
“We will continue to talk about this even after the convention,” he stated.
Protests are expected outside and potentially inside the United Center, where Harris will speak Thursday. Convention organizers have scheduled panel discussions on Arab and Palestinian issues and Jewish American concerns.
While acknowledging the right to protest, Kader distanced the uncommitted movement from potential disruptive actions at the convention.
“The uncommitted movement doesn’t necessarily have any plans to do anything like that,” he said.
NewsNation partner The Hill and The Associated Press contributed to this report.