When thousands of Democrats gather in Chicago next week for the Democratic National Convention, eager to soak in the party’s newfound excitement about Vice President Kamala Harris’ surprise ascension to the top of the ticket, the war in Gaza will likely not be top of mind for most of them. Nearly all of the nearly 5,000 Democratic delegates voted to back Harris in a virtual roll call last week. 

But 30 delegates are pledged to the Uncommitted National Movement, which urged Democrats to vote “uncommitted” rather than supporting President Joe Biden in state primaries earlier this year, to protest his support for Israel after the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks.

Despite their small number, the Uncommitted activists have threatened to disrupt the convention if Harris does not agree to their demands before the convention — demands that include an arms embargo on Israel, which Harris’ staff has reiterated she does not support, and a prominent convention speaking slot for a doctor who volunteered in Gaza. Uncommitted activists plan to hold daily afternoon vigils inside the United Center.

Minnesota has the most Uncommitted delegates of any state, with 11 people pledged to the cause. The state’s delegation is expected to be front and center, next to Harris’ native California, to represent the Harris-Walz ticket. This means that any disruptions from Minnesota’s Uncommitted delegates will likely be visible on TV feeds from the convention.

Whether the Middle East makes it onto the convention floor — and if so, how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is discussed by convention speakers — will be a question looming over the proceedings in Chicago next week. The Harris campaign has sought to build a big tent, asserting her support for Israel while keeping a line open to anti-Israel activists, but that approach will be tested at the convention, as Democrats seek to define themselves on the national stage. But keeping everybody happy when every choice of speaker and their choice of rhetoric is under a microscope amounts to an exercise in futility. 

“Traditionally, the presidential nominee, in his or her speech, will have something on foreign policy,” said Kenneth Baer, who worked as a senior speechwriter at five Democratic conventions. “I can imagine a line which says, ‘We will continue to push our Biden initiative to bring the hostages home, stop the fighting, get dignity and security for Palestine and the security of Israel,’ and walk away. And that’s it. Don’t say anything more. And you just rush to the next line so you don’t give anyone time to clap or boo, and just keep going.” 

Several Jewish Democratic activists told Jewish Insider that they think it is crucial for speakers, particularly Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, to clearly state their support for Israel. 

“The overwhelming support for Jewish safety and sovereignty within our party is unequivocal,” said Amanda Berman, founder and executive director of the Zioness Movement, an advocacy organization focused on growing support for Israel in progressive spaces. “For … Jewish voters across key swing states, it is both morally and politically important that the DNC reaffirm it at every opportunity.” 

Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, a philanthropist and a Democratic delegate from Maryland, said Democrats must be able to “walk and chew gum at the same time” by both strongly supporting Israel and condemning the horrific situation in Gaza.

“It needs to be discussed in a way that recognizes Israel’s fundamental right to exist, its fundamental right to defend itself, its fundamental right to have the people who are held hostage released — and the right of innocent Palestinians to have a better future that is free of violence and has the opportunity for achievement and success,” Mizrahi said.

J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami said Democrats must address not only Israel and Oct. 7, but also the crisis in Gaza: “The Democratic Party should recognize the suffering on both sides and the convention should not be silent about the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza over these past 10 months,” said Ben-Ami. “That’s the tone the VP has set and the convention should echo her.”

The war in Gaza is set to be the subject of several demonstrations outside the United Center, including a so-called “Hostage Square” exhibit set up by the Israeli-American Council and two major protests planned by dozens of anti-Israel organizations. As counterprogramming, the Arab American Institute is hosting a three-day “Progressives for Palestine” conference early next week. Zioness, Democratic Majority for Israel and the Jewish Democratic Council of America also plan to host major events in Chicago adjacent to the convention. 

Some family members of the American hostages held in Gaza have reportedly been invited to speak at the main stage of the convention, The New York Times reported on Monday. Their address may take place in proximity to remarks from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who was a vocal critic of Israel when he previously served in Congress, which has raised concerns among some Jewish Democrats. (A spokesperson for the Harris campaign declined to comment.)

Baer argued that a speech from Ellison in the same segment as the hostage families would be politically counterproductive. “Him going up there and trying to draw any sort of moral equivalency, or trying to say anything about the situation, would cause controversy, which is not the goal of a convention,” Baer said. 

In a sign of the tightrope that convention organizers are walking, Arab American Institute founder James Zogby — a longtime Democratic activist and critic of U.S. support for Israel, who is close to Ellison — also cautioned against having Ellison speak, but for a different reason. 

“If you’re going to have families of hostages, then you have families of Palestinians who’ve lost people in Gaza. That’s what you do. If you really care about Palestinian humanity, that’s what you do,” Zogby said. “But why Keith Ellison? That’s this other problem with the administration, is this damned conflation of Arab and Muslim.” Ellison, who converted to Islam from Catholicism while in college, is not Arab or Palestinian. (Ellison did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.)

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) said on Tuesday she was not aware of an invitation to Ellison or other critics of Israel, but said she expected to see Democratic support for Israel stated clearly from convention speakers.

“The Democratic Party firmly stands with Israel, strongly supports the U.S.-Israel relationship and has continued to carry the strongest pro-Israel plank of either party for many years,” Wasserman Schultz told JI. “That’s made clear in our platform, and I’m confident that what we’ll see from our podium will include … support for Israel and support for the hostages coming home.”

Convention organizers have not yet announced most speakers beyond its biggest names: Harris, Walz, Biden, former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who faced strong opposition from the left as a contender to be Harris’ running mate over his support for Israel, has said he will speak, a move that will likely be cheered by many Jewish Democrats. A spokesperson for Shapiro did not say when he will speak, or for how long. 

“The No. 1 thing that the campaign can do at the convention to quiet any concerns is to have Josh Shapiro speak in prime time,” Baer said. “It would send a message to the Jewish community, independents and centrists needed to win in November.” 

The parents of Omer Neutra, an American held hostage in Gaza, addressed the Republican National Convention last month. Republicans also heard from Shabbos Kestenbaum, a recent Harvard graduate and vocal advocate against antisemitism on the Ivy League campus. 

Jewish Insider’s senior congressional correspondent Marc Rod contributed reporting.