Platform Language Drafted by Israel Lobbyists Unacceptable

We, Palestinian American delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention, are deeply
disturbed by the platform language on Palestine and Israel that has been proposed—language that
reflects the tired, unjust, and failed policy of years past. Expressing unwavering support for a country
that continues to thumb its nose at international law while it steals Palestinian land, entrenches
apartheid, and denies our families’ basic human rights is unacceptable. It is unacceptable to us; it is
unacceptable to a ​growing majority of the Democratic Party; and it should be unacceptable to every
American who aims for true freedom, justice, human rights, and democracy.

The Israel lobby group—Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI)—​publicly admitted that it had a hand in
drafting the platform language on Israel/ Palestine. This is not only problematic for the integrity of the
drafting process, but also highlights the blatant and deliberate exclusion of Palestinian Americans by
the Biden campaign.

Last month, over 125 Palestinian American influencers published a ​Statement of Principles, ​rooted in
basic human rights and international law, to help guide the US government’s policies that directly
affect the Palestinian people. As Palestinian American delegates to the DNC, we delivered a copy of
this statement to the platform drafting committee, as well as a ​statement signed by over 220 fellow
delegates calling for the conditioning of US aid to Israel, and a copy of a resolution on Palestinian
human rights, passed overwhelmingly by the Virginia Democratic Party, expressing, among other
things, support for HR 2407 and withholding aid to Israel.

In addition, more than 100 US-based human rights and social justice organizations sent ​letters to the
Biden campaign ​calling for a more just policy that supports Palestinian liberation and conditions US
aid on Israel ending its rampant rights violations, including the kidnapping, torture and imprisonment
of children by the Israeli military. And, on July 15, 2020, American Muslims for Palestine and Jewish
Voice for Peace Action ​submitted to the drafting committee a ​petition​, signed by over 5,700
individuals (now over 8,200), calling on the DNC to support Palestinian freedom and end US
complicity in Israel’s separate and unequal rule over the Palestinian people.

All of these efforts and voices, particularly the voices of Palestinian Americans, have been ignored.
Declaring “support [for] a negotiated two-state solution” is insufficient and meaningless without
commitment to promote and defend human rights and to hold violators accountable. This is
particularly true when the violators receive $3.8 billion in US taxpayer dollars every year.
Furthermore, endorsing Israel’s demand to be recognized as a Jewish state, rather than a state for all
its citizens, is tantamount to endorsing institutionalized racism and apartheid, as over 20 percent of
Israel’s current population is non-Jewish. There are currently over 50 laws on Israel’s books that
discriminate against its Palestinian citizens. Supporting ethno-religious supremacy is unacceptable.

As DNC delegates and community activists, we expect to be represented in policy discussions and
decisions, particularly those that profoundly affect us and our communities. The Democratic Party’s
continued marginalization of our people, blind support for the oppression of our families, and the
incessant insults to our and voters’ moral sensibilities jeopardize our ability to inspire and mobilize the
Palestinian American, Arab American and allies in our communites in support of this party and its
candidates, and calls into question our own support.

At this pivotal moment in our nation’s history, when millions are rising up to demand accountability,
racial justice, and equality, for the DNC to commit to policies that deny these to Palestinians is
hypocritical and out of touch with the views of the majority of the Democratic Party.

Sincerely,

Palestinian American Delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention

Zeina Ashrawi Hutchison, VA Delegate (CD-10)

Huwaida Arraf, MI Delegate (CD-10)
Sam Hindi, CA Delegate (CD-14)
Emad Salem, TX Delegate (SD-10)
Hatem Natsheh, TX Delegate (SD-25)
Ibraheem Samirah, VA At-Large Delegate (CD-11)
Samia Assed, NM At-Large Alternate (CD-1)
Murad Sarama, CA Delegate (CD-6)