Zero Democrats Praise Israel in Speeches to the Democratic Convention

Harris Threads a Democratic Needle, Which Isn’t Saying Much

Washington, DC – The Republican Jewish Coalition issued the following statement, announcing the final tally of the "Praise Israel Watch" from the 2024 Democratic Convention in Chicago. RJC CEO Matt Brooks said:

The RJC challenged every speaker at the Democratic Convention in Chicago to "Praise Israel": If any speaker from the main stage asked the crowd to cheer if they supported Israel, the RJC would donate to plant 1,800 trees in Israel in their name.

Unfortunately, the Democrats acted as if Israel didn’t exist, which is exactly what their pro-Palestinian base wanted.

Of the 155 Democratic Convention speakers, not a single one, including Kamala Harris, praised Israel from the main stage as the Jewish state fights for its very survival against Iran-backed terrorists in the aftermath of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Harris said the bare minimum, an obvious statement about Israel having the right to defend itself. But she never praised Israel. Instead, she implicitly criticized Israel for the suffering Hamas has caused in Gaza. Her support of an immediate ceasefire means Hamas survives, and that’s unacceptable.

Israel is not a needle. Support for Israel does not need to be threaded. Israel, the United States’ best ally in the Middle East, needs and deserves America’s full-throated praise and support.

While Jewish voices were elevated and championed at the Republican Convention in Milwaukee, Jews in Chicago were forced to run and hide from mobs of antisemitic rioters. After this week, the contrast between the two parties could not be clearer.

Although it is deeply disappointing that no Democrat speaker took us up on our challenge and praised Israel, the RJC will still donate to plant 1,189 trees in Israel in memory of the 1,189 victims killed on October 7th.