CHICAGO, IL –
The massive United Center convention hall has long been the main stage for Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, whose statue stands outside the enormous structure. Jordan worked magic on the court, uniting even rival team fans who came to see him and cheered for him. Whoever decided to hold the Democratic Party convention here may have wanted some of Jordan's magic dust for Kamala Harris, and she'll need it in the very close race against Trump.
"Sweet Home Chicago", sang the Blues Brothers to the representative American city. Not the international and sophisticated New York or Los Angeles, not the diplomatic-political Washington, not one of the Deep South cities, or the Bible Belt. A city that has everything from everything and a character of its own. I'll be a bit pretentious and quote Larry, a 60-year-old black taxi driver I rode with, who gave me the perspective of an average American, if you will: "I work two jobs to help my daughters. One with three children, the second in college. I pay more than $4 a gallon for gas, and this week I got stuck too many times in traffic jams caused by protesters with scarves (keffiyeh, the traditional Arab garb) on their faces when they burn flags of my country. Let them go protest in the Middle East, what are they doing here?"
But America needs it more. The United States of America is still the strongest country in the world, but it is sick. Some might say that's too strong a word, and that it's in a period of change, but beyond the well-organized and impressive convention, the excellent speeches and the enthusiastic crowd – there are still no real solutions to American ailments: illegal immigration, which under Harris' watch, who was appointed to handle it, has grown to monstrous proportions causing difficulties and enormous damage to major cities, including Chicago itself; rising crime in many large cities; prices that have risen significantly in recent years; and foreign relations – Russia and China are allowing themselves much more than before in different parts of the world, including in our own private neighborhood.
American society is in a series of deep crises and divisions, and as in every election – and we felt this well in our series of election campaigns in recent years – the divisions are widening, statements are becoming more extreme and healing seems far off. This election campaign is no different from others also because of the opponent, Donald Trump, who takes an approach of personal attacks on Harris and her deputy in harsh language. The Democrats are not far behind. At the Chicago convention, speakers competed in derogatory terms towards him, and even Hillary Clinton said about him that he was "on the run" – an expression reserved for escaped prisoners.
On the street and on social media, the statements are much harsher, even by Israeli standards, and calls to harm candidates from both parties are too common. It's a familiar and painful truth that elections give voice to the noisy, extreme and anarchist elements much stronger than they really have. But this is probably just the assumption I'm making for us, because American politics is changing and becoming more extreme on both ends of the spectrum.
The attempt by anti-Israel and Islamist groups to take over the Democratic Party convention agenda was a complete failure, but that doesn't mean the administration's policy towards Israel won't be tougher if it's elected. Will Harris be good for Jews and Israel? It's not clear. She lacks the natural affinity for Israel of Biden and most of the old generation of Democratic leadership. But for now, the anti-Israel side in the party is proving to be less influential, and its real power is much smaller than the noise it makes. It failed in several of its main goals, including the desire to make a statement on the issue of arms sales to Israel and change the party platform accordingly, and even failed to bring the issue of the war in Gaza to one of the focal points of the convention.
At the Democratic National Convention, temporary success was recorded in curbing the extreme Democratic faction, one of whose ugly expressions is anti-Israelism, which does not hide the antisemitism behind it. Fears before the convention were at a hysterical level, which caused Harris' team to meet urgently with some of the leaders of these organizations, including Muslims who supported, even if indirectly, the October 7 massacre. What she promised them is not yet clear, but Israel should certainly closely follow developments in this arena. The moves succeeded, or perhaps the threat was exaggerated from the start, and the sigh of relief from the Democratic Party leadership echoed throughout the huge convention center in Chicago, after it became clear that the mountain was a molehill.
The attempt by anti-Israel and Islamist groups to take over the Democratic Party convention agenda was a complete failure, but that doesn't mean the administration's policy towards Israel won't be tougher if it's elected. Will Harris be good for Jews and Israel? It's not clear. She lacks the natural affinity for Israel of Biden and most of the old generation of Democratic leadership. But for now, the anti-Israel side in the party is proving to be less influential, and its real power is much smaller than the noise it makes. It failed in several of its main goals, including the desire to make a statement on the issue of arms sales to Israel and change the party platform accordingly, and even failed to bring the issue of the war in Gaza to one of the focal points of the convention.
Captain America
"Sweet Home Chicago", sang the Blues Brothers to the representative American city. Not the international and sophisticated New York or Los Angeles, not the diplomatic-political Washington, not one of the Deep South cities, or the Bible Belt. A city that has everything from everything and a character of its own. I'll be a bit pretentious and quote Larry, a 60-year-old black taxi driver I rode with, who gave me the perspective of an average American, if you will: "I work two jobs to help my daughters. One with three children, the second in college. I pay more than $4 a gallon for gas, and this week I got stuck too many times in traffic jams caused by protesters with scarves (keffiyeh, the traditional Arab garb) on their faces when they burn flags of my country. Let them go protest in the Middle East, what are they doing here?"
And what do you think about the war in Gaza? "I saw some of the reports about what happened in October to you. It's a great shame, these are not human beings. But I also see the pictures from Gaza, and it's hard. The civilians are pitiful, and my daughter cries when she sees dead babies there. Is there no way to solve this? To end all this violence already?" He tried to explain Harris' advantages like this: She is the new America, an independent woman who grew from nothing, a daughter of immigrants, understands the mindset of young people, and this is the reason why Republicans fear her.
At the Democratic National Convention, temporary success was recorded in curbing the extreme Democratic faction, one of whose ugly expressions is anti-Israelism, which does not hide the antisemitism behind it. Fears before the convention were at a hysterical level, which caused Harris's team to meet urgently with some of the leaders of these organizations, including Muslims who supported, even if indirectly, the October 7 massacre. What she promised them is not yet clear, but Israel should certainly closely follow developments in this arena. The moves succeeded, or perhaps the threat was exaggerated from the start, and the sigh of relief from the Democratic Party leadership echoed throughout the huge convention center in Chicago, after it became clear that the mountain had given birth to a mouse.
Michelle, a Jewish activist of the Democratic Party who came from Philadelphia, gave another explanation: "Even if there is something to the claims of the protesters on the streets and campuses about the war and the killing of civilians, they have crossed many red lines. I and many in the party and the Jewish street have criticism of the Israeli government's policy, but the protesters show that they are interested in the disappearance of Israel and in changing America. Burning the US flag?"
"They went too far," said Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling. "The freedom of expression and demonstration given to them was full, but they violated every agreement, acted violently, injured police officers, tried to damage property and more. I gave my people instructions to take off the gloves." He also, by the way, indirectly criticized his mayor, Brandon Johnson, who allowed the demonstrations, thus requiring huge amounts of police from all over the area, which has the highest crime rate in America. By Wednesday evening, the police had arrested about 80 of the protesters, and Snelling promised they would be brought to quick judgment and punished severely. The organizers of the demonstrations came prepared, and a battery of lawyers rushed to the courts to bring about their quick release.
A whiff of Intifada
At a demonstration I attended during the convention, which was attended by hundreds to nearly 1,000 people (the organizers reported tens of thousands), they broke through a police barrier three blocks from the United Center, the convention center. The police who rushed to the scene were wearing helmets and vests, holding batons, and some armed with firearms and tear gas rifles – riot control measures. The scent of a Palestinian Intifada grew strong at the sight of hundreds of masked individuals, some holding work tools to destroy the fences. The call to bring the Intifada to America is often heard in demonstrations of this kind, and the wider American public doesn't really like it, nor the burning of their flag.
It's noticeable that like its leadership, the Democratic audience at the convention prefers the positive momentum brought by the Biden-Harris change and focusing on domestic issues rather than wallowing in the Gazan mud. They cheered every statement about a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the return of the hostages, but the applause was much louder on almost every other topic. And apart from Biden, the war was mentioned only by Hillary Clinton, who was the US Secretary of State, Senator Bernie Sanders and "Squad" member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and even she spoke in the same breath about the return of the hostages and the ceasefire.
According to Jeremy Ben-Ami, Ocasio-Cortez has softened considerably towards Israel, and at the convention, a meeting was recorded between her and the families of the hostages. The keffiyeh, the hallmark of Palestinian supporters, was hardly seen inside the hall, and only once during the entire convention did an incident occur in the hall when a pro-Palestinian raised a banner claiming genocide – but it was quickly removed.
Apart from these reasons, there is another important reason why the anti-Israeli forces were pushed aside, at least for now: The American public, including the Democratic one, saw the horror images of October 7, and after them the demonstrations on campuses, many of which undermined Americanism itself. This had no small impact. Within themselves, the quiet wisdom of the masses understands that in this story, Israel should also be heard.
Those who are making Israel heard in a wonderful way are the families of the hostages and the fallen, mainly those with American citizenship, who are going on moving advocacy journeys for their loved ones and for Israel. Ruby Chen, father of Israel's hero tank driver Itay, who was killed in the battle for Nahal Oz and whose body was kidnapped, said at an event of the Israeli Consulate that he is on a mission from his son to tell and spread the story of October 7, and the importance that the whole world has in returning all the hostages, including his son. "We didn't sit shiva, despite the notice we received about Itay's death in battle. We'll do it only when he returns with the others."
They have a lot of criticism of the Israeli government and its leader. Some express it harshly, and sometimes in what seems like unfairness, with severe accusations, but in interviews and speeches in English most of them keep the criticism to themselves, speaking to the heart and conscience of the listeners.
A particularly moving performance like this was recorded on the third evening of the convention – by Rachel and Jon Goldberg-Polin, parents of Hersh who was kidnapped from the Nova party. The appearance on stage came after much persuasion work with the organizers. Their being Chicago natives also helped the persuasion efforts. Jon and Rachel spoke American and moved the tens of thousands. A look around showed many teary eyes, even of veteran journalists like myself. They knew how to speak also about the suffering of the Gazans, and about the need for a ceasefire that would bring about the release of the hostages and the end of suffering in Gaza. The audience responded with calls of "Bring them home."
Apart from these reasons, there is another important reason why the anti-Israelis were pushed aside, at least for now: The American public, including the Democratic one, saw the horror images of October 7, and after them the demonstrations on campuses, many of which undermined Americanism itself. This had no small impact. Within themselves, the quiet wisdom of the masses understands that in this story, Israel should also be heard.
A cold Democrat
The sentiment towards the anti-Israelis was vividly illustrated in the audience's attitude towards the protest watch, which stood next to the long line on the way to the security check for the convention. I stood there on the side for almost half an hour, and the vast majority of passers-by ignored, turned a cold shoulder in the literal sense. I entered into a conversation in two languages, English and Arabic, with one of the protesters, Abdul Rahman, who admitted in frustration to the marginalization of the Palestinian issue. I asked about Hamas flags and burning the American flag. He claimed it was an unrepresentative minority, but added: "Don't rejoice too much, the journey to public opinion and decision-making junctions in the US has just begun. You have an advantage over us in organization and experience, but we are determined to change the situation and make America balanced in the conflict."
Congressman Brad Schneider of Illinois, a Jewish Democrat, says that the sidelining is not only of the pro-Palestinians, but of all extreme groups. "It's clear to us that the party and the country need to focus on the real values, on American democracy and on the warm bond with Israel. This noisy minority has little influence, and I'm sure the party, and Harris at its head, will continue the line of support for Israel, in the war to topple Hamas, in the fight against Iran and Hezbollah and in returning the hostages."
Another senior Israeli, who is deeply involved in relations between the countries, tells us that Harris is trying to quickly learn the foreign relations issues she hasn't dealt with, and among other things, she participated in the Joe Biden-Benjamin Netanyahu conversation on Wednesday. She asks tough questions, says the senior official, some out of insufficient understanding and knowledge of the situation, some sound as if they came from the less pro-Israel side. "If elected, her conduct will most likey be Obamaesque, and let's hope that she will at least learn the lessons from the failures of American foreign policy during his presidency."
