President Joe Biden is aware that the coalition within the "Democratic Party" base is beginning to unravel. The most dynamic elements of this coalition are uncomfortable with the Biden administration's unconditional support for Israel. Base movements that played a significant role in Biden's victory in the 2020 elections are demanding that Biden pressure Israel for a ceasefire. As Biden prepares to face Trump in the November elections, he is expecting some gestures from Israel, including a "temporary ceasefire." Biden's campaign team believes that these gestures will satisfy the coalition within the base. However, Netanyahu has no intention of making these gestures to politically save Biden.
Biden had criticized Netanyahu in his "State of the Union" address without mentioning his name. Prior to that, Vice President Kamala Harris had mentioned the word "ceasefire" in a speech she delivered in Selma, Alabama. It was noteworthy that Harris, who is among the regulars of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), openly used a sentence like "ceasefire," which Israel does not appreciate.
Primary elections have been held in almost half of the United States. Protest votes against Biden in primary elections held in states where the balance of votes is sensitive indicate a strong reaction within the Democratic Party base to the Biden administration's Israel policy. The Democratic Party derives much of its election energy from the coalitions established within the base.
Although not explicitly stated, it is evident that the Biden-Harris duo feels the pressure from the base. However, Biden has not been firm and clear in reflecting this pressure on Israel. After his "State of the Union" address, Biden signaled on MSNBC that unconditional military support for Israel would continue. He also stated that any operation Israel conducts against Gaza would be a "red line" for the US. However, he did not specify what position the US would take if Israel crossed that line. Analysts believe that for Biden to be able to pressure Netanyahu, it is necessary to clearly define which policy will be implemented under what circumstances. So far, Biden has not taken such a position against Netanyahu.
As the election calendar accelerates, Biden must extract a real concession from Israel to keep the coalition within the party base alive. The "Working Families Party (WFP)," established as a base movement in the late 1990s, is an important element of the colorful coalition within the Democratic Party's voter base. Many elected officials in the House of Representatives are supported by this party. This movement is also influential in state and municipal elections.
The "Working Families Party," which played a significant role in winning the 2020 elections, wants Biden to pressure Israel for a ceasefire. Its supporters are also critical of the continuation of unconditional military support for Israel. The call for a ceasefire by 7 senators and nearly 80 members of Congress was influenced by components of the coalition within the base, such as the "Working Families Party" and "Jewish Voice for Peace." These two organizations also play a role in spreading the protest movement initiated in Michigan against Biden's Israel policy to other states.
The "Working Families Party" appoints a spokesperson every year to respond to the US President's "State of the Union" address. This year, Philadelphia City Council Member Nicolas O'Rourke was appointed as the spokesperson. In his speech addressed to President Joe Biden, O'Rourke called for attention to the rising protest movements in Michigan and Minnesota due to the genocide in Gaza. O'Rourke pointed out that members of the "Working Families Party" in Congress are at the forefront of the struggle for an urgent and permanent ceasefire. He said, "We are pleased to hear that the Administration, and particularly Vice President Harris, are starting to change their rhetoric. However, it is now time for action."
In the Gaza section of his speech, the spokesperson for the "Working Families Party," O'Rourke, continued, "I'm glad the Biden administration wants to send aid (to Gaza) - but how can we do that while continuing to send weapons? For the past two weeks, Democrats in Michigan and Minnesota have not voted for this message. Tonight, protesters are marching in Washington DC to repeat this message. Mr. President, I hope you are listening."
