By Arit John, CNN

Minneapolis (CNN) — A Democratic National Committee panel on Tuesday failed to advance dueling resolutions on the party’s stance on Israel’s war in Gaza, after one proposal was voted down and a second was withdrawn.

The DNC’s resolutions panel considered two measures Tuesday morning at the committee’s summer meeting in Minneapolis: a proposal introduced by chair Ken Martin that echoed language in the party’s platform on the issue and a resolution backed by progressives that called for a suspension of military aid to Israel.

The panel unanimously advanced Martin’s resolution and voted down the resolution calling for an arms embargo. Martin later made the stunning decision to withdraw his resolution to allow for further discussion, a motion that was also supported by the whole committee.

“I know that there are some who are interested in making changes today, but as we’ve seen, there’s divide in our party on this issue,” Martin said. “This is a moment that calls for shared dialog. It calls for shared advocacy, and that’s why I’ve decided today, at this moment, listening to the testimony and listening to people in our party, to withdraw my amendment and resolution.”

The DNC chair said he would refer the issue to a task force “comprised of stakeholders on all sides of this to continue to have the conversation” and report back to the party.

Martin’s resolution called for “secure and unrestricted delivery of humanitarian assistance” in Gaza, reaffirmed the DNC’s support for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, and stated the committee supports a two-state solution.

The progressive-backed resolution was voted down via voice vote. A proposed amendment to add language calling for the release of hostages in Gaza and to oppose only offensive weapons also failed.

Nathan Soltz, a DNC member from Oregon, said that while he appreciated the effort to amend the resolution, it didn’t got far enough for him.

“This is an issue that I hear about all the time and that I know is very salient to young Democrats,” he said, adding that the party had in Martin’s resolution “something very strong.”

It was a dramatic ending to one of the most controversial resolutions before the committee. One audience member shouted “you’ve got to be f**king kidding me” after the progressive-backed resolution failed. Martin later huddled off to the side with the sponsors of that resolution before deciding to withdraw his own.

The two resolutions were the results of a failed weekslong attempt to combine the proposals into a unified resolution that might win broad support among members.

Allison Minnerly, a 26-year-old Florida organizer and new DNC member, introduced a resolution on Gaza this month that called on the committee to ask party leaders, including elected officials, to back an immediate ceasefire, an arms embargo and suspension of military aid to Israel. If passed, the DNC would have urged “its elected members of Congress to recognize Palestine as country.”

Minnerly said it was disappointing that the party was going to continue debating the issue instead of taking a stance. She pointed to polling that shows an overwhelming majority of Democrats disapprove of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

“I think that prolonging this conversation just avoids the necessary alignment that has to happen with the base,” she told CNN after the vote.

The dueling resolutions highlight the growing tensions within the party over how Democrats should respond to Israel’s war in Gaza and the ensuing humanitarian crisis. Similar debates have taken place at the state level, including in North Carolina, where Democrats passed a contentious resolution calling for an arms embargo. As public opinion has become more critical of Israel’s military tactics, progressive members of the party have called for a more forceful condemnation of the war and the United States’ role in it.

Critics of Martin’s resolution said that, in an effort to treat both sides equally, the proposal failed to address the scale of Israel’s response to Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack. Those opposed to the progressive-backed resolution say calling for an arms embargo goes too far, and the proposal doesn’t mention the October 7 attack.

Israel’s supporters within the DNC have, meanwhile, sought to strike a middle ground between condemning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government and still advocating for military and financial support for Israel.

Democratic Majority for Israel President Brian Romick called the progressive-backed resolution “a flawed, irresponsible resolution at a Democratic National Committee meeting that will further sow division within our Party and do nothing to help bring an end to the Israel-Hamas war” and called on the resolutions committee to reject it.

Meanwhile, the committee advanced a resolution to take steps toward limiting the influence of dark money in the 2028 presidential primaries.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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