Possible Democratic presidential candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris is seeking to bridge the internal divisions within the Democratic Party on the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Previously, some Democrats criticized President Joe Biden for steadfastly supporting Israel’s actions as the death toll among Palestinians continued to rise. A June poll conducted by the Associated Press and NORC showed that 6 out of 10 Democrats opposed Biden’s handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict. A similar proportion believed Israel’s military actions in Gaza were disproportionately aggressive.
Against this backdrop, Harris is strategizing to reconcile party differences in preparation for the upcoming presidential election against Republican candidate Donald Trump.
On Thursday, after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Harris delivered a speech that revealed her nuanced approach to one of the most divisive political issues in the U.S.: emphasizing Israel’s right to self-defense while also focusing on alleviating the suffering of Palestinians.
She stated, “In the face of these tragedies, we cannot turn a blind eye, we cannot allow ourselves to be indifferent to suffering, I will not remain silent.”
However, she did not deviate conspicuously from the established line of the Biden administration: ending the Israel-Palestine conflict through negotiation, rescuing hostages held by Hamas, and rebuilding Gaza.
In her speech, she made no mention of the desire of some Democrats to cut military aid to Israel.
She called for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza. She said, “Every voice calling for a ceasefire, every person yearning for peace, I see you and I hear your voices.”
She seemed to hint that the Israel-Palestine conflict is not irreconcilable. She said, “The Gaza war is not a binary issue, many times, dialogue is binary, but reality is not.”
She also emphasized her long-standing support for Israel during her meeting with Netanyahu, recalling fundraising efforts for tree plantings in Israel since she was a young girl.
Harris’s husband Doug Emhoff is Jewish and openly supports the Biden administration’s efforts to combat anti-Semitism.
Considering the closed-door nature of Netanyahu’s meeting with Harris and its scheduling before Biden announced he would not seek re-election, Netanyahu did not make a public statement after the meeting.
The American Arab community sees hope in Harris. Dearborn, Michigan, one of the largest Arab-American communities in the U.S., has Democratic Mayor Abdullah Hammoud who stated, “She is in a delicate situation, walking a tightrope. She is still the Vice President, with the President being the true leader of diplomatic policy, but as a candidate, the presumed nominee, she must now carve out a differentiation space to create a new path.”
On the day of Netanyahu’s speech in Congress, protesters gathered outside Union Station, tearing down the American flag and spray-painting “Hamas is coming” on it.
Harris strongly condemned these actions, stating, “Unpatriotic protesters engaged in despicable behavior, and made dangerous, hate-inciting remarks.”
In a statement, she said, “I support the right to peaceful protests, but let’s be clear: anti-Semitism, hate, and any form of violence have no place in our country.”
Israeli analysts wonder if Harris will make significant changes to Israel’s policies. Chuck Freilich, former Deputy National Security Advisor of Israel and senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, predicted that “she will exert greater pressure on Israel regarding the Palestinian issue.”
(Reference: Associated Press)