‘Palestinian Lives Matter’: Progressives Demand Change in US Policy in Gaza
More than 100,000 Michigan voters chose "uncommitted" over Biden to register protest
Just days after more than 100,000 voters in Michigan’s Democratic presidential primary selected “uncommitted,” to protest President Biden’s stance on Israel, a group of progressive members of Congress gathered to keep up pressure to push Biden to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Although Biden decidedly won Tuesday’s Michigan primary, more than 13 percent of the vote went for “uncommitted,” to protest for his continued support for Israel.
More than 30,000 Palestinians — including thousands of young children — have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its current military operations following the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas.
Demands have been growing both internationally and within the United States for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict amid warnings of genocide against the Palestinian people.
A group of progressive Democrats — some wearing traditional Palestinian keffiyehs —
in Congress held a press conference Thursday on Capitol Hill to push for that ceasefire.
“I'm always proud to stand alongside my colleagues behind me. But I'm depressed at the number of times that we've had to come to this podium. Over these 100-plus days, I feel betrayed, I feel haunted, I feel shame. Palestinian lives matter,” said Rep Ayanna Pressley, of Massachusetts. “We've stood together at this podium many times now over these past few months and our conviction has not waned in the slightest.”
Rep Cori Bush, of Missouri, made clear the goals of the lawmakers.
“And to be clear, only a lasting ceasefire can bring us these outcomes. Only a lasting ceasefire is acceptable,” she said. “Not a temporary pause, not a ceasefire with an end date, not pretending to care about civilians by sending them a sliver of humanitarian aid only to indiscriminately bombed them days later. Only a lasting ceasefire.
“So this afternoon, Congresswoman [Rashida] Tlaib and I are sending a letter to President Biden underscoring the — again the urgency — of this growing catastrophe,” Bush added. “We are requesting a meeting with President Biden. We are demanding an immediate lasting ceasefire and that the Israeli government commit to ceasing any plans to bombard and invade Rafah.
“As lawmakers leading the push in Congress for a ceasefire we want to hear directly from President Biden.”
Further bloodshed in the southern city of Rafah is of key concern at the moment.
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