Inside the DNC’s Middle East (not) working group

The Democratic National Committee's Middle East working group, formed seven months ago by DNC Chair Ken Martin, has struggled to coalesce around shared objectives. Composed of eight DNC members with backgrounds in Jewish and Palestinian advocacy, the group has met only twice in-person and twice virtually, with members like James Zogby noting they primarily discussed "what we’re supposed to be doing." This inaction came to a head at the DNC’s spring meeting in New Orleans when the resolutions committee considered a resolution from working group member Joe Salas to recognize Palestinian statehood, submitted without consulting the group. The resolutions committee referred Salas's resolution back to the working group, with members like Ron Harris and John Verdejo demanding progress. This referral provides the working group with a "very specific charge" and "defined agenda" for its upcoming meeting, according to Zogby.