Jacob Ogles
Protesters waving a Palestinian flag disrupted a reception at the Florida Democratic Party’s state convention in Orlando. Security ultimately escorted two groups of people out of the hotel after they chanted “shame” at party leaders and “Free Palestine.”
The demonstration occurred as Democrats stressed their solidarity with Israeli victims of terrorism in recent weeks. Party leaders stressed support of the Israeli government’s right to defend itself.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried wore a pin with the colors of the American flag and the Star of David from the Israeli flag. She said it was important for American leaders to provide support to allies in Israel in lieu of a string of Hamas-led terrorist attacks.
“As somebody from the Jewish community, this is personal to a lot of us,” Fried said. “This hit home for a lot of us, and it’s been a really hard couple of weeks for Jews across the entire world. But as a Democratic Party we have stood in unity.”
Attacks by Hamas beginning on Oct. 7 killed an estimated 1,400 Israelis, and Gaza authorities say a counteroffensive by Israel has since resulted in nearly 7,000 Palestinian deaths in return.
The escalating violence also drove the protesters at the convention to voice disapproval with party leaders’ unwavering support for Israel. During a Chair’s Reception at the Rosen Centre, a man dressed in all black stood on a chair and started criticizing U.S. policy toward Palestinians. He and those with him were taken away by security, with one woman waving a black-checkered Palestinian keffiyeh.
About 10 minutes after the demonstrators were escorted out, another group came through the hotel, this time waving a large Palestinian flag and chanting support for a “Free Palestine.” Security immediately descended on the group and led them outside as well.
A convention dinner started shortly afterward, and the events in the Middle East continued to drive discussions. The party has three religious leaders — a Muslim imam, Jewish rabbi and Christian reverend — lead a prayer at the beginning of the night.
Rev. Dr. Karen Green, a former Democratic congressional candidate, was among those faith leaders and broke from script as she called for unity.
“Whatever your faith is, Arabic Muslims, Jewish, Christians, atheists, whatever your faith is, I know that this is the experience of the Democratic Party,” she said, before encouraging everyone at the event to hug someone nearby.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Co-Chair of Florida’s congressional delegation, in her remarks at the dinner noted she was in the Middle East as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation when the attacks began. The Weston Democrat, who is also Jewish, praised President Joe Biden for showing firm support for Israel in the conflict but also for encouraging limits on Palestinian civilian deaths.
She told Florida Politics she is hopeful new House Speaker Mike Johnson will bring a funding request from Biden to the floor, including funding for Israel and for other conflicts like the war in Ukraine.
“You have a tyrant in (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and a terrorist organization, Hamas, that we’re trying to make sure we can take down,” Wasserman Schultz said.
Jewish voters in the U.S. remain a heavily Democratic voting bloc. Pew Research Center reports 64% of American Jews self-identify as Democrats or Democratic-leaning, compared to 26% who identify as Republican or Republican-leaning. But Republicans have made inroads, with staunch support of Israel a key reason.
Fried, though, said that support is bipartisan and will stay that way. Wasserman Schultz, for her part, doesn’t see any shift happening, especially considering the disarray of Republicans at the national level.
“I’m confident that after what Jewish voters have seen play out in Technicolor over the last several weeks, they will not touch the Republican Party,” she said.
8 comments
rbruce
October 30, 2023 at 8:48 am
American Jews are realizing how naive they have been supporting the Democratic Party. How can they belong to a political party that includes those who want to eliminate Israel?
It's Complicated
October 30, 2023 at 9:54 am
It’s paradoxical that so many American Leftists support a terrorist group like Hamas, given many of these same Leftists would be among the first people to be callously murdered if they were under the rule of a group like Hamas.
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” does NOT apply here, yet they cannot see it (recognizing that many on the American Left view Israel as the enemy).
Ocean Joe
October 30, 2023 at 10:14 am
Rightwingers in Israel following the Trump playbook tried to water down the authority of Israeli courts, dividing the country and showing weakness to their enemies.
The left in Israel has worked for a solution while rightwing American govts write them a blank check and ignore the settlements in the West Bank which make 2 states impossible.
Of course the other problem is that the Palestinians will not accept half a loaf, will not agree to disarm and will follow Islam and it’s acceptance of violence in the name of Allah.
So if Israel and all the Jews were gone, the Shia and Sunni would slaughter each other. Syria. Lebanon. Libya. Yemen. Iraq. Only where the US has bribed with support or where a strong ruler sits is there peace in the region: Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Morocco.
Earl Pitts "The Earl of Politics" American
October 30, 2023 at 10:24 am
Sage advice there rbruce and It’s Complicated,
While we may agree with what the above article is leading us to, in regards to what would be a 100% reversal in Fried’s Party’s politics, with regards to The Nation of Isreal I, Earl Pitts American, warn everyone that you would be 100% safer to pick up a live rattle snake and tounge kiss it than to get on board the “Hey Hey Nikki May Be OK Train”.
Thanks for your appearance here and your comments, rbruce and It’s Complicated. Just to be fair to both of you, please be aware, you are both dealing with “The Earl of Politics” and this is not my first ride on the “Political Merry-Go-Round” of “Dook 4 Brains Leftist” lies and subtrafuge.
If both of your hearts beat for America and both of your intentions are true – you will be over-joyed to know that The Poly-Sci branch of the EPA Fan Club is already investigating you two for Dook 4 Brains Leftist/RINO ties.
Other than that everybody relax your sphincters and have an Earl Pitts American Day.
EPA
D My Take
October 30, 2023 at 12:39 pm
KneeJERK support of Israel–that is, of the repulsive Likud and Netenyahu–has prevented any real working toward peace.
Our strong support should be a guarantee of existance and strong safety from attack. There should also bè strong openly expressed pressure to treat the Palestinians fairly and internationally legally. This would include condemning many present practices.
No firmly “standing with” an aggressive repressive colonial power’s repulsive règime.. Stand with the many many decent Israelis who want peace.
Read Haaretz to get a glimps at the “other” side.
just sayin
October 31, 2023 at 10:22 am
Calling Israelis “colonizers” is like calling Mexicans in Texas “colonizers”. They were there first.
My Take
November 10, 2023 at 3:15 pm
They were gone for 1700 years.
Yet they consider Arab refugees–who grandfathers planted the olive grove–who have been gone seeking safety for 17 days as having abandoned their homes . . . and homeland.
David Krane
November 2, 2023 at 5:43 pm
Jews around the world support Palestinian victims of Israel’s illegal, racist, and murderous occupation of Israel and its ongoing terrorist genocide of the Palestinians. Any decent human being would. I demand an immediate ceasefire, opening of the water lines, and opening of Egypt’s border to let international aid in and Palestinians out
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