Democratic Party Convention Begins Amid Protest Against Gaza War in Chicago

Two and a half months before the presidential elections in the United States, the Democratic National Convention will begin on Monday, August 29, in Chicago with a farewell speech from Joe Biden and the transfer of party leadership to Kamala Harris. According to American media, Joe Biden, who withdrew from the presidential race last month under pressure from party leaders, is expected to be cheered at the convention like a 'hero.' It is assessed that Mr. Biden will portray Kamala Harris, his vice president who is now designated as the Democratic candidate for the elections, as the best person to defend American democracy against Donald Trump, the Republican candidate. Kamala Harris is scheduled to take the stage briefly with Joe Biden to demonstrate unity among Democrats regarding her succession in the election race. Joe Biden has prepared his farewell speech to the Democratic Party over the weekend at Camp David in Maryland, expressing that he feels 'good' about it. The convention in Chicago is seen as a passing of the torch of Democratic leadership from the 81-year-old Joe Biden to the 59-year-old Kamala Harris. Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, whom Ms. Harris recently selected as her running mate for the campaign, will speak at the convention. Ms. Harris's speech is set for Thursday, the final day of the convention. The convention is expected to not only be a battleground for various party factions but also a platform for new voices within the party that may wish to compete for key positions, especially if Kamala Harris wins the presidential election. However, according to Agence France-Presse, the Democratic National Convention will coincide with a large planned protest in Chicago against the Biden-Harris administration's support for the Israeli military's war against the extremist group Hamas in Gaza. The Biden-Harris administration has been described as the largest supporter of Israel since Hamas's attack on Israel. This support has taken the form of financial and military aid and the formation of a military coalition in the region currently for potential defense of Israel against threats posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hezbollah. Hamas is classified as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union. Mr. Biden has faced numerous protests from anti-war opponents during his travels in recent months, both during his campaign and after announcing his withdrawal from the race, showing indifference to most of them on-site but emphasizing the need to end the war in his official statements. On Sunday, Joe Biden also stated that he still believes reaching an agreement is possible, referring to ongoing negotiations in Qatar and Egypt. Kamala Harris, during one of her first campaign speeches when confronted with chants to end the Gaza war, told Palestinian-supporting protesters that if they want Donald Trump to win the election, they should keep chanting. Some war opponents have labeled her and Joe Biden as 'killers' of Palestinians. However, Ms. Harris, in her subsequent speeches, responded to the ongoing protests against the Gaza war, stating that she is attentive to these protests and that the Biden administration has done and will do the most to end the Gaza war. Last week, Kamala Harris firmly stated that now is the time to end the Gaza war. Thirty Democratic speakers are scheduled to address the issue of the Gaza war at the party convention. Asma Mohammed, one of these speakers, stated that they are a small but powerful group representing thousands who did not get the opportunity to speak. Ms. Mohammed told Al Jazeera, 'Almost a million voters across America are calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza war.' The Democratic Party needs the votes of these anti-war opponents, including Muslim Americans, especially in Michigan, to win against Donald Trump. After the Michigan elections last Esfand, it became clear that 13 percent, equivalent to over 101,000 Democrats in this state, voted for the 'no commitment' option in protest against the war in Gaza. In recent days, Donald Trump has referred to Kamala Harris as the most liberal presidential candidate in American history. Mr. Trump's Republican supporters have also labeled Ms. Harris as a 'communist' following her speech on the American economy. During the four days of the Democratic Party's convention in Chicago, Donald Trump will continue his campaign in Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, and Arizona.