As the 2024 presidential election rapidly approaches, the Uncommitted National Movement finds itself at a crucial crossroads. Once in a position of considerable influence, with hundreds of thousands of voters poised to challenge the Biden-Harris administration’s unwavering support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, the movement now risks squandering its last chance to hold Kamala Harris accountable. The movement had the administration cornered, with its refusal to certify votes in the Democratic primaries. But instead of doubling down, they seemingly pulled back at the worst possible moment.
Kamala Harris, who has consistently aligned with President Joe Biden in backing Israel’s military campaigns, now faces little pressure to alter her stance. The Uncommitted Movement’s September 19 statement, which subtly encouraged members to vote against Donald Trump without rallying behind a third-party candidate, signaled a major shift. For many, it was a thinly-veiled concession to the Democratic nominee. And when the group reiterated their position on October 8, any remaining leverage they held appeared to slip away, all but guaranteeing continued U.S. weapons support for Israel in the foreseeable future.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Harris is now heading into the final weeks of her campaign without facing the stark ultimatum the Uncommitted could have forced upon her: comply with demands for a weapons embargo to Israel or risk losing critical votes in swing states. This is no small matter. Many of the movement’s supporters, spread across key battleground regions, had been ready to walk away if Harris didn’t meet their demands. Instead, Harris will likely face no real consequences for her role in what many activists are calling complicity in “genocide.”
A Missed Opportunity?
The activists initially had Democrats on the ropes. With the race looking like it could be a nail-biter, the Uncommitted could have made their stand, forcing Harris to choose between electoral success or changing her stance on arms shipments to Israel. Yet, when it came time to solidify their demands, the group pulled back, citing the looming threat of a Trump return to office. By deciding to prioritize defeating Trump rather than sticking to their original mission—ending U.S. military support to Israel before the election—Uncommitted effectively threw away the best leverage they had. They could have fought to end the conflict in Palestine while simultaneously opposing Trump, but now they’ve done neither.
This decision comes at an unbearable cost for Palestinians. Experts from the United Nations, the University of Edinburgh, and the medical journal The Lancet estimate that nearly 200,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the conflict escalated last year. Mainstream media have consistently reported far lower death tolls, often grossly underestimating the devastation on the ground. At the current rate of 20,000 fatalities per month, experts project the death toll could surpass 300,000 by the end of this year, with no clear end in sight.
For activists who have spent years fighting to end what they view as Israeli genocide, the Uncommitted’s decision to withdraw their demands feels like a betrayal. The group’s power stemmed from its ability to unite progressive voters around a cause that threatened to derail the Harris campaign if left unaddressed. By pressing for a weapons embargo on Israel, the movement wasn’t just fighting for change in U.S. foreign policy—they were fighting to save lives. And yet, they blinked.
Kamala Harris’ Complicity
Harris, for her part, has remained steadfast in her support for Israel’s right to defend itself, despite mounting international pressure to stop the ongoing bombardment of Gaza. Her stance has been clear since her tenure as Vice President, when she stood by Israel even as reports of civilian casualties and humanitarian crises flooded in. This support has extended into her presidential campaign, with no indication that she plans to change course.
During the 2024 campaign trail, Harris consistently echoed the administration’s official line, stating that transgender inmates deserve medical care. This echoes her long-held support for human rights, but the same passion for justice has been notably absent in her approach to Israel’s actions in Gaza. For many, this inconsistency reveals Harris’ willingness to toe the line of U.S. military interests, even at the cost of human lives abroad.
By walking back their demands, the Uncommitted National Movement might have inadvertently paved the way for Harris to secure the presidency without making any real concessions on foreign policy. It’s a move that could haunt them for years to come, as the bloodshed in Gaza continues without any meaningful intervention from the U.S. government.
The Road Not Taken
There is still time for the Uncommitted to course-correct, though that window is rapidly closing. A public declaration reaffirming their commitment to a “No Embargo, No Vote” stance would shift the pressure back onto Harris. Such a move could reignite media attention, forcing the Harris campaign to reckon with a critical bloc of voters unwilling to budge without concrete policy commitments. At the very least, it would demonstrate that the movement hasn’t lost sight of its mission, even if the odds are stacked against them.
But with less than three weeks to go until Election Day, time is running out. Each day that passes without a bold move from the Uncommitted Movement is another day in which Harris inches closer to victory without addressing the atrocities unfolding in Gaza. Without a major shift, Harris could walk away with the presidency—while Palestinians, and the activists fighting for their cause, are left to grapple with the devastating consequences of a war they feel the U.S. government has played a hand in sustaining.
If the Uncommitted doesn’t act now, the legacy of this moment will be one of regret. They once had the power to force a reckoning on U.S. foreign policy. Whether they seize their last chance to do so or continue down the path of surrender remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the Palestinian people cannot afford for them to fail.