2023-11-04 06:58:13
“It’s going to be a pivotal moment”, welcomes Manolo De Los Santos. Director of the People’s Forum, a progressive association based in New York, he is one of the organizers of the “National March on Washington for Palestine”, this Saturday, November 4 near the White House. With tens of thousands expected, the event is billed as the largest pro-Palestinian rally in U.S. history. “The momentum continues to buildobserves the organizer. Due to the number of people expected, the discourse of absolute loyalty to the State of Israel and its war crimes, held by political decision-makers, can no longer continue. »
The demonstration comes at a time when the American left is divided over this new war in the Middle East. In the House of Representatives, Wednesday October 25, nine elected Democrats broke ranks by opposing a resolution condemning Hamas and supporting Israel in its response, while six others abstained. They belong to the so-called “progressive” left wing of the party. Some are now mobilizing to pass a resolution urging President Biden to call a ceasefire.
In the entourage of elected officials, the storm is also brewing. More than 400 parliamentary staffers recently urged their bosses to call for an end to military operations in an anonymous letter. And hundreds of former collaborators of the progressive Jewish senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, in favor of a simple humanitarian truce, did the same. Several components of the coalition that brought Joe Biden to power (Sunrise movement of young environmentalists, unions, Arab and Muslim groups, etc.) were also critical of the tenant of the White House, some advocating abstention in 2024. At the risk of costing the Democrat some Swing Statesthese decisive states in the race for the White House, where the votes are sometimes decided by a few thousand votes.
“They are not going to mobilize”
“Joe Biden should be very worried about next year”, estimates Stephen Zunes, professor of political science at the University of San Francisco and specialist in the Middle East. He observes that the rate of support for the head of state fell by eleven points among the Democratic electorate in October, according to the Gallup Institute. A trend attributable in part to the disaffection of young people, who have become more hostile to Israel in recent years across the Atlantic. “Their participation will be crucial for Democrats. If it is not high, they will lose. Furthermore, the party will need young people to go door to door. If they are not enthusiastic, they will not mobilize”poursuit Stephen Zunes.
The fact remains that the White House has indicated that the time has not come for a ceasefire, a situation which it believes would allow Hamas to remobilize. Joe Biden, however, suggested during a campaign event on Wednesday that he was in favor of « pause », “time to get the prisoners out”. Friday, November 3, the Israeli Minister of Defense reportedly informed Secretary of State Antony Blinken, traveling in the region, that any suspension of hostilities must be conditional on the release of hostages, according to the CNN channel.
In Washington, some Democrats are working to downplay intraparty differences. “We must be careful not to confuse a visible and vocal minority with a majoritydeclared MP Ritchie Torres at the New York Times. Critics of Israel have far more power on social media than in the real world. »
#pressure #increases #Joe #Biden