As Democrats approach their 2024 convention, they are acutely aware of the many critical issues at stake in this election.

Concerns are deep about what a second Trump administration could mean for women’s rights, civil rights, environmental protections, immigration policy, civil discourse, and the very foundation of our democratic order.

These issues and more are extensively covered in the 2024 Democratic Party Platform and will be addressed by speakers at the convention.

However, certain topics will remain unspoken: the genocide unfolding in Gaza, the continued erosion of Palestinian rights in the Occupied Territories, and the role the United States plays in supporting Israel’s blatant violations of international law and U.S. human rights legislation.

Because these topics should be addressed but won’t be, the Arab American Institute (AAI), in collaboration with Rev. Jesse Jackson’s RainbowPUSH organization and other prominent progressive groups, will host three days of programs before the official convention proceedings begin. The topics to be explored during these AAI events include:

1) The Role of Dark Money in Politics. This discussion will highlight how pro-Israel groups spent over thirty-five million dollars this year to smear and defeat two progressive Black members of Congress who advocated for Palestinian rights. Dark money has been a growing concern over the past three election cycles.

Despite attempts to pass resolutions banning its use in primary contests at Democratic Party meetings, party leaders have refused to even allow a debate on the issue. Left unchecked, dark money will continue to grow, enabling not only pro-Israel groups but also other special interests (such as big pharma, banks, health insurance companies, etc.) to exploit the loophole allowing unlimited money to flood our elections.

2) The Role of Congress in Sponsoring Legislation that Silences Free Speech. As the U.S. policy debate over Israel/Palestine intensifies, pro-Israel groups have collaborated with certain members of Congress and state legislators to silence voices and penalize actions critical of Israel.

By expanding the definition of antisemitism to include most criticisms of Israel and by denying Americans the right to boycott or call for sanctions against any country, free speech is being constrained or outright denied. Currently, over three dozen states have passed such laws, and Congress is debating legislation that would conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism and require universities and other institutions receiving federal funds to establish enforcement mechanisms.

3) The Voices of Palestinians Who Should Be Heard. After 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of Gaza destroyed, and famine looms on the horizon, Democrats need to listen to Palestinian voices. If the convention won’t invite them, they will be at the AAI event to tell their stories.

4) An Examination of What’s Not Included in The Democratic Party’s Platform. Arab Americans and those concerned with justice in the Middle East have fought to shape political party positions on Israel/Palestine.

We’ll examine what has changed and what hasn’t over the past four decades. Forty years ago, we couldn’t even get the word "Palestinians" in the platform. Now it’s there, but neither party includes the word "occupation" or any criticism of Israeli policies. That must change.

5) The Role of the Gaza War in Changing Public Opinion and Its Impact on the Future of the Democratic Party. Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza has become a central issue for progressives in the Democratic Party.

Polls show that majorities of Democrats oppose Israel’s conduct in the war, support a ceasefire and conditioning U.S. aid to Israel, and advocate for justice and rights for Palestinians. These opinions are largely driven by young voters, progressive Jewish groups, and Black, Latino, Asian, and Arab Americans—all of whom are crucial to Democratic victories.

In addition to AAI’s three-day event, other groups seeking to pressure the establishment to change direction on a variety of issues will host events. However, AAI’s is the only one that will challenge the party to confront “the elephant in the room”: our unquestioning support for Israel in its relentless genocidal war on Palestinians. This is an issue that the majority of Democrats want the party to discuss and a policy they want the administration to change.