The Uncommitted National Movement, a campaign that protested President Joe Biden's support for Israel by voting "uncommitted" in the Democratic primaries, raised over $15,000 during an hour-long Zoom strategy call last night. The group says the money will be used to send its 29 delegates to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) next month.
On the strategy call, campaign organizers Layla Elabed, Abbas Alawieh, and Lexis Zeidan unveiled the campaign's new slogan "Not Another Bomb," calling for an immediate end to the financial and military support the U.S. has given Israel for its attacks on Palestine.
The organizers also shared a petition addressed to Vice President Kamala Harris, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination after Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed her. The petition has over 1,500 signatures in the twelve hours since it went live.
In it, the Uncommitted National Movement says it is "calling on presidential candidate Kamala Harris to distance herself from Biden’s disastrous policy of arming Israel’s ongoing genocide and occupation in Palestine."
"We urge you to be on the right side of history. Embrace the voices of people engaged in the political process, the voices of justice, and the voices of peace," the campaign's letter to Harris reads. "Let your administration reflect our nation’s highest ideals and our unwavering commitment to a future where every human being can live in dignity and safety. Not another bomb."
After Biden endorsed Harris on Sunday, Uncommitted said in a statement that "it's crucial for Vice President Harris to take a clear stance against weapons for Israel's war and occupation against Palestinians."
In her remarks on the call, Elabed, the former campaign manager for Listen to Michigan, said the "Not Another Bomb" crusade is part of Uncommitted's "broader effort to push for an end to the U.S. weapons funding for Israel and to advocate for an arms embargo."
"We need to end the killing of Palestinians using our taxpayer funds and bombs and to promote a more just foreign policy that stops the vicious cycle of devaluing Palestinian lives, that includes my family in Palestine as well," Elabed said. "Our primary aim is to pressure the Biden and Harris administration and the Democratic Party to adopt our demand for an arms embargo on Israel."
Fatima Abed, one of Uncommitted's DNC delegates from Hawaii, introduced the fundraiser.
"It is going to be a really, really difficult fight for us," Abed said, "so we're trying to raise money to fight against fascism so that we can make it to the DNC."
Uncommitted's initial goal for the hour-long call was to raise $10,000—and the campaign accomplished that in less than 10 minutes.
So, Alawieh, a Michigan-based political strategist who has worked for Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), set a new goal: $15,000.
And it only took another 18 minutes to raise another $5,000.
Alawieh profusely thanked everyone on the call and urged them to say "Free Palestine" out loud in front of their computers.
"I love everyone on this call. I love that our continued solidarity with the Palestinian people," Alawieh said. "If you are in front of your computer right now, and you're a Democrat who believes that we should never have—ever again—a politics in our country that devalues Palestinian lives to the point of genocide ... Just say it out loud. Just say free Palestine."
After the call, the group announced on Instagram that its new fundraising goal is $20,000.
Tomorrow, the group plans to host a "digital day of action" during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech in front of Congress.
In a move some see as a break from Biden's support for Netanyahu, Harris announced she will not preside over Congress during the speech and call on Netanyahu to end hostilities in a private meeting.
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