Resolution for an Anti-Zionist New Orleans DSA in Principle & Practice

Author: Bob M
Co-signers: Wash F, Hope P

Whereas in line with Convention Resolutions #4 and #62 from 2019, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is an anti-imperialist organization;

Whereas in line with Convention Resolution #50 from 2019, the DSA is an anti-colonialist organization committed to advancing decolonization projects;

Whereas in line with Convention Resolutions #41 and #45 from 2017 and Resolutions #4 and #31 from 2021, the DSA is an anti-racist organization;

Whereas in line with Convention Resolutions #7&8 from 2017 and Resolution #35 from 2019, DSA National has publicly declared on numerous occasions in recent years that it “unapologetically stands in solidarity with Palestinian people everywhere;”

Whereas Zionism – as popularized by Theodore Herzl and explicitly described by him as “something colonial,” meant to be “a wall of Europe against Asia… an outpost of [Western] civilization against [Eastern] barbarism” – is and has always been a racist, imperialist, settler-colonial project that has resulted in the ongoing death, displacement, and dehumanization of Palestinians everywhere (i.e., in Palestine and in diaspora around the world);

Whereas the establishment of a Jewish ethnostate in Palestine (i.e., the “state of Israel”) and its maintenance via ongoing and illegal occupation, apartheid and ethnic cleansing represent the culmination of Zionists’ century-long colonization of Palestine;

Whereas antithetical to the DSA’s contemporary principles and policies, a number of DSA endorsed electeds (e.g., former member Jamaal Bowman & Nithya Raman) have consistently demonstrated a commitment to Zionism through their public opposition to BDS and/or support for legislation that harms Palestinians everywhere (e.g., public support for and votes in favor of U.S. financial aid to Israeli military, which forcefully advances the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestine; governmental adoption of definitions of antisemitism that conflate anti-Zionism and antisemitism, leading to the suppression of speech of Palestinians and those in solidarity with them);

Whereas the DSA’s historic and contemporary association with and enablement of Zionism has jeopardized DSA rank-and-file membership’s confidence in the integrity of DSA’s overall politics, as well as our organization’s working relationships with major Palestinian-led grassroots organizations in New Orleans and across the country;

Whereas DSA membership has overwhelmingly denounced Zionism through its stated principles and convention mandates since 2017 but has yet to articulate these newfound principles into a more coherent praxis;

Whereas the resolution “Make DSA an Anti-Zionist Organization in Principle and Praxis” (MSR #12), failed to be heard or deliberated on at the 2023 National Convention, and there is an urgent need to address this at the chapter level;

Whereas the New Orleans DSA Land Acknowledgement outlines how our work in New Orleans stands on & benefits from the land that experienced ethnic cleansing by settlers and that “We honor and stand in solidarity with the long and continuing battles of… peoples for liberation and justice”;

Whereas the New Orleans DSA chapter has increased its activity in electoralism, including endorsing candidates that requires them to join our membership, but has no mechanisms of accountability for candidates who do not advocate for the minimum standard of our democratically approved values, therefore

Be it resolved the New Orleans DSA chapter reaffirms its commitment to being an anti-racist, anti-imperialist organization by explicitly committing to being an anti-Zionist chapter in both principle and praxis; and

Be it further resolved the New Orleans DSA chapter will continue intentional outreach with our membership (such as Spoke and email) to engage in events, marches, and actions supporting Palestine; and

Be it further resolved New Orleans DSA reaffirms our organization’s commitments to Palestinian liberation and the broad, international BDS movement by conveying our expectation that all of New Orleans DSA’s endorsed candidates hold true to the following basic commitments:

  1. Either publicly support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement or not publicly oppose it;
  2. Refrain from any and all affiliation with the Israeli government or Zionist lobby groups, such as, but not limited to, AIPAC, J Street, or Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI), including participating in political junkets or any event sponsored by these entities;
  3. Pledge to oppose legislation that harms Palestinians or those who support Palestinian liberation, such as
  • Any official adoption of a redefinition of antisemitism to include opposition to Israel’s policies or legal system, or support for BDS (e.g., IHRA definition of antisemitism);
  • Legislative and executive efforts to penalize individuals, universities and entities that boycott Israel;
  • Legislative and executive efforts to send any military or economic resources to Israel;
  1. Pledge to support legislation that supports Palestinian liberation, such as
  • Legislative and executive efforts to end Israeli apartheid and ethnic cleansing against Palestinians and promote Palestinians’ rights to return to and live freely on the land (e.g., H.R. 2590);
  • Condemnation of Israeli apartheid and colonial practices  (e.g., H.Res. 751);
  • Attempts to end the spending of U.S. tax dollars on Israel and/or sanction Israel until it ceases its practices of apartheid and colonialism; and

Be it further resolved our local chapter’s candidate questionnaires or Q&A’s will include a question that inquires about the candidate’s position on BDS; and

Be it further resolved potential candidates who cannot commit to the aforementioned basic expectations will be disqualified from recommendation or endorsement by the New Orleans DSA; and

Be it further resolved the New Orleans DSA, in collaboration with trusted local or national Palestinian movement partners and the DSA International Committee, will provide all endorsed candidates with anti-Zionist educational materials and any reasonable opportunities as needed to develop solidarity with the people of Palestine (such as information sessions, meetings, or discussion); and

Be it further resolved endorsed candidates who continue to not commit to the aforementioned basic expectations after chapter intervention will have their New Orleans DSA endorsements revoked by the same thresholds as the endorsement process (initiated by the larger of 10% of active membership or 10 members, majority vote online with 20% quorum); and

Be it further resolved any New Orleans DSA member who has credibly demonstrated any of the following:

  1. Consistently and publicly opposes BDS and Palestine (e.g., denouncing the BDS movement in public interviews; writing public op-eds denouncing the BDS movement; drafting and voting in favor of legislation that suppresses BDS, such as legislation that suppresses speech rights around the right to freely criticize Zionism/Israel and/or the right to boycott), even after receiving fair and ample opportunity for education about the Palestinian struggle for liberation with examples including accountability and education sessions,  
  2. Current affiliation with the Israeli government or any Zionist lobby group(s) such as, but not limited to, AIPAC, J Street, or Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI), or
  3. Has recently provided material aid to Israel (e.g., Congresspeople voting to provide Israel with material aid; gave direct financial donations of any kind to Israel and/or settler NGOs who carry out the mission of Israeli settlement and Palestinian dispossession/displacement, such as the Jewish National Fund, the Israel Land Fund, the Hebron Fund, and Regavim)

will be considered in substantial disagreement with DSA’s principles and policies, allowing the chapter to consider the expulsion process outlined in line with Article 1, Section 3 of the national DSA Bylaws and in the bylaws of New Orleans DSA (which would require members facing expulsion to receive written notice of charges against them and must be given the opportunity to be heard before national leadership or committee); and

Be it further resolved Local Council will request national expulsion from NPC; and

Be it further resolved membership reinstatement of expelled members may be initiated by the Local Council; and  

Be it further resolved New Orleans DSA will, in collaboration with trusted local or national Palestinian movement partners, mobilize our members and community members we have influence over to organize (ex. phone calls, texts, rallies, etc.) the constituents of all elected officials, prioritizing the organizing of the constituents served by our endorsed electeds and chapter allies.