A month ago, an NBC News piece noticed the lack of opposition at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee. Outside an unassuming march on Monday, the first day, there were virtually no protests throughout the duration of the four-day event. On the other hand, Democratic gatherings tend to attract much more attention from demonstrators, specifically pro-Palestinian protesters who often attempt to disrupt the proceedings.
The trend is clear: large assemblies of Democrats in various cities and states, often get targeted by pro-Palestinian demonstrators – at rallies, fundraisers, and during presidential appearances. There is a clear escalation in these antics leading towards threats of possible violence. However, occasions organised by Trump and the Republican party are usually met with peaceful circumstances.
Clearly between the two parties, Democrats appear more emotionally attached to the plight of Palestinians. The present Biden administration is making efforts to mediate the ceasefire that the pro-Palestinian faction insists upon. Over the recent times, they have sanctioned hundreds of millions in humanitarian aid for the Palestinians in Gaza.
Biden’s vision for ending the strife in Gaza includes a swiftly moving plan towards full Palestinian statehood. On the contrary, Former President Donald Trump’s approach was quite dissimilar, often using the term ‘Palestinian’ as a critique and moved the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, marking a significant political stance.
Trump’s administration acknowledged Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights and pledged to prevent the entry of Gaza refugees into the United States. The narrative Trump wished to propound was a simple one – he and his party are guardians of public order, whereas Democrats, he argued, could not shield Americans from chaos instigated by extremist groups.
Opposing this narrative was the persistent effort of the pro-Palestinian group to visually reinforce their opposition to Trump’s claims. As Vice President Kamala Harris retorted to demonstrators in Detroit earlier this month: Do they want to elect Donald Trump? Evidently, not all pro-Palestinian protesters are conscious about the political implications of their actions.
Many demonstrators are essentially fuelled by moral indignation or ideological fervor. However, for those who are strategic in their approach, the goal is clear: Yes, they want to elect Trump. For them, a Trump presidency is their best and possibly only solution.
To comprehend why, we can look back at the elections of 2000, when Vice President Al Gore lost to Texas Governor George W. Bush. Progressive advocate Ralph Nader ran as a third-party candidate and ended up swinging the vote towards Bush. He later expressed regret, but at that time, he fully grasped his actions – a victory for Bush was Nader’s explicit intent.
Post the year 2000, the Democrats have veered more left than they were in the previous decades. However, this ideological shift cost them potential wins and hence key objectives. A few crucial letdowns for progressives since that election would be the Iraq war and two decades of inaction with regards to climate change.
Nader knew exactly what he was getting himself and his movement into, he had a cause and he was open to the risks. Just as Nader, the pro-Palestinian protesters of 2024 start with a rudimentary political issue: their cause lacks widespread popularity. A solid majority of Americans regard Israel’s war in Gaza as valid and ardently condemn the Hamas terrorist attacks.
Despite the widespread condemnation against their cause, pro-Palestinian protesters have been actively rallying across the United States. They’ve taken to college campuses and have interrupted access to Jewish schools, businesses, and places of worship. They’ve taken extensive media routes to share their passionate message, but with minimal impact on U.S. foreign policy.
Financial, intelligence, and economic resources continue to flow from the United States to Israel. U.S. forces cooperate with Israel against Iranian proxies in Lebanon and Yemen. Despite some restraint, the U.S. has generally allowed Israel to engage the conflict as they see fit – attributable to President Biden’s decisions.
Yet the question remains, why isn’t there a greater fear amongst the pro-Palestinian protesters about the potential comeback of Trump to the presidency? This stems from their commonality with the far left and far right: a fierce opposition to American global dominance. If you stand as an adversary to American global authority, Trump is arguably the candidate to support.
The key point to take away is, the protesters are not aimlessly causing a ruckus at the streets of Chicago. They possess a clear motivation: to destabilize, to incite Trump’s victory against Harris. They are not oversensitive allies, but deliberate adversaries. It’s time for convention delegates in Chicago to recognize and react to this truth.