From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Hundreds visit ‘Hostage Square’ on DNC sidelines as families aim to differentiate cause from Palestinian issue
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
CHICAGO — Hundreds of people stop by “Hostage Square,” which was erected in Chicago to raise awareness about the plight of the 105 hostages still held in Gaza.
The square features several exhibits by Israeli and American artists honoring the victims of Hamas’s October 7 onslaught.
One of the exhibits features milk cartons adorned with the photos of the eight American hostages in Gaza, playing off of the “missing person” ads that were seen on such containers in the late 20th century.
The expo is organized by the Israeli American Council, which said it was forced to find a space on private property after the city of Chicago refused to give it a permit for a space closer or within the perimeter of the Democratic National Convention.
IAC did, however, accept a Wednesday evening spot at a “Speaker’s Platform” that the city has set up in one of its nearby parks to accommodate the many groups that were declined rally permits do to capacity limits.
One of the American hostages pictured on a carton is Itay Chen, an IDF soldier who was killed and abducted by Hamas on October 7.
Chen’s father Ruby tells The Times of Israel that in conversations with Democratic delegates, he and the other relatives of American hostages present for the convention have sought to differentiate the plight of the hostages from the broader Palestinian issue.
He attended a breakfast earlier today for the New York delegation where he met briefly with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Chuck Schumer.
Recalling his conversation with the progressive lawmaker, Chen says he noted that New Yorkers are known for standing together and asked Ocasio-Cortez if she’d be willing to stand with his family, who are also from the state. The Democratic lawmaker agreed and Chen expresses his hope that there would be follow-up meetings.
Ocasio-Cortez highlighted Vice President Kamala Harris’s commitment to securing a ceasefire and hostage release deal during her well-received speech last night at the Democratic National Convention.
The lawmaker is an important ally to cultivate, given her widespread following in the US, Chen says.
At the Republican National Convention last month American-Israeli hostage Omer Neutra’s parents were given a primetime slot on the event’s main stage.
Chen says the American hostage families in town for the DNC have been in touch with organizers about receiving a similar speaking slot.
“It will be difficult to not provide us a platform,” he says, adding that he is “cautiously optimistic” about ultimately receiving one before the convention ends on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian activists are seeking a similar speaker spot for one of the American doctors who recently returned from treating patients in war-decimated Gaza.
