Progressive Zionists of California commends the California Democratic Party for upholding language on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by the Platform Committee, whose members worked tirelessly over three months to collect comments, engage in robust dialogue, and streamline language on a number of complex issues. Thank you to every delegate who voted against the proposed anti-peace amendment and for the platform language, upholding the values we hold dear as Democrats.
Despite many late nights working to find a compromise on the platform language, at the convention anti-Zionists collected signatures to attempt to get language changed through a vote at the general session, in what is known as a “floor fight.” During this process, flyers distributed to gain signatures to bring the amendments to floor misrepresented the wording of the revised platform.
The floor vote, which was done first by voice and then checked visually as voting delegates held up their cards, overwhelmingly rejected the anti-Zionist’s amendment, included language calling for an unprecedented “right of return” — a policy that would preclude a two-state solution. In particular, we are pleased with the numerous rewrites of particularly troubling planks in the Platform Committee. We commend the Platform Committee in particular for their thoughtful discussion, and commitment to dialogue.
PZC founding member Susan George said, “We are pleased the party has once again rejected extremism, and decided to focus on unifying issues. 2020 is the election of a lifetime, and we must focus on keeping the tremendous gains California Democrats made in 2018, not get derailed by a divisive conversation.”Founding member of PZC, Susan George, at the Facing Antisemitism rally on Saturday, November 16, 2019
We are also pleased that the party accepted an amendment to the Education plank and the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, proposed by PZC Steering Committee member Andrea Beth Damsky, to meaningfully include language encouraging education about antisemitism.
PZC is grateful to our partners the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, Democrats For Israel Los Angeles, Democratic Majority for Israel – Official Page, AJC – Global Jewish Advocacy, JIMENA: Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa, Democrats for Peace in the Middle East, Zioness Movement, A Wider Bridge, ADL Long Beach/Orange County, ADL Los Angeles, CYD Jewish Caucus, Jewish Federation & Family Services, Orange County, and numerous grassroots partners for their cooperation, support, and guidance.
We look forward to working together in the future to keep the California Democratic Party free from antisemitism, to focus our attention on making our communities better for everyone.
About Progressive Zionists of California:
PZC is a grassroots coalition of Democrats that supports the self-determination of the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland, addresses antisemitism wherever it arises, supports progressive policies in the California Democratic Party, and stands against the undemocratic policies of right-wing Israeli leadership.