On the third night of the Democratic National Convention, the group Muslim Women for Harris announced its disbandment and withdrawal of support for Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. The decision followed the Harris-Walz campaign’s refusal to allow a Palestinian speaker on the main stage, despite protests organized by the Uncommitted National Movement, which included a sit-in outside the convention.
Prominent figures such as Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined the protests, with Ocasio-Cortez participating via FaceTime. The Uncommitted delegates had requested a Palestinian speaker, arguing that while the family of Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin was given a platform, similar representation for Palestinians was denied.
Muslim Women for Harris criticized the campaign’s refusal, stating, “We cannot in good conscience continue Muslim Women for Harris-Walz” given the exclusion of Palestinian voices. They emphasized the disparity between the empathy shown to Israeli hostages’ families and the lack of support for Palestinian perspectives.
The convention has faced scrutiny for not adequately addressing calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and failing to provide a platform for Palestinian voices. The event is being held in Chicago, which has a significant Palestinian community.
