The second annual ‘People’s Conference for Palestine’ in Detroit has drawn significant attention and criticism due to its lineup of speakers, which includes individuals with extremist views and allegations of antisemitism. The conference, organized by a dozen pro-Palestinian groups, is scheduled to begin on Friday afternoon and will conclude on Sunday. One of the key figures expected to speak is Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., a well-known advocate for Palestinian causes and a prominent anti-Israel congresswoman.
Tlaib, who has been a focal point of controversy over her vocal opposition to Israel, has faced criticism and censure in the past for her rhetoric on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Her comments, such as the use of the phrase ‘From the river to the sea’—which many Israel supporters interpret as a call for the destruction of Israel—have been the subject of intense debate. In 2023, she was also linked to a secret Facebook group that glorified Hamas terrorists following the October 7 attacks on Israel.
Among the other speakers at the conference are two former Israeli prisoners released in a Hamas prisoner swap. One of them, Hussam Shaheen, was previously sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison for murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The other, Omar Assaf, was a former official of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), an organization that is not designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. but has faced sanctions. The inclusion of these individuals has raised questions about the conference’s stance on accountability and human rights.
The event also features a range of other controversial speakers, including Raja Abdulhaq, co-founder of the Quds News Network (QNN). The QNN was suspended from Twitter in 2019 for alleged ties to terrorism, and other platforms have also restricted its presence. Wesam Ahmed, another speaker, is associated with Al-Haq, an entity accused by the Israeli government of having ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a group considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and Israel.
Huwaida Arraf, a Michigan-area activist and former congressional candidate, is also slated to speak at the conference. Arraf is known for co-founding the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), which was previously investigated by the FBI for possible ties to terrorists. She has faced criticism for promoting violent tactics against Israelis, although she denies any antisemitic intent, arguing that such accusations are meant to silence Palestinian voices.
Tlaib will be joined by multiple university professors accused of antisemitism, including Hatem Bazian, who was censured by the University of California, Berkeley, in 2017 after sharing an anti-Israel cartoon that drew comparisons between Jews and Nazis. Bazian is also chairman of American Muslims for Palestine and co-founder of Students for Justice in Palestine, a group known for fueling anti-Israel activism on college campuses. Another speaker, journalist Eugene Puryear, has been criticized for trivializing the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, by joking about the event as a ‘rave’ where ‘several dozen hipsters’ were taken.
Additionally, Linda Sarsour, who lost her position on the board of the Women’s March after being accused of antisemitism for her comments calling Israel a ‘state based on supremacy,’ will also speak at the conference. The organizers have also included a special children’s program aimed at educating young attendees about Palestinian history, culture, and resistance. While the organizers have not yet responded to criticism, the conference remains a focal point of debate over the balance between advocacy for Palestinian rights and the portrayal of Israel.