Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to take the title of Democratic presidential nominee after President Biden’s withdrawal on Sunday, July 21. Less than a week after her ascendancy to candidate, pro-Palestinian protests broke out in Washington, D.C. on July 24 as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke in front of Congress and planned to meet with Harris the following day. The ongoing war on Gaza ensures that focus remains on the vice president’s views of Israel’s campaign in Gaza and the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Harris on the Humanitarian Crisis
Following her meeting with Netanyahu last Thursday, July 25, Harris released a televised statement in which she reiterated that “Israel has a right to defend itself, and it matters how.” She lamented the continued carnage in Gaza and reaffirmed support for President Biden’s three-stage ceasefire proposal. Her language was clear: the leveling of Gaza is a “tragedy” and there is “serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians.”
Harris’ swiftness in condemning the humanitarian crisis suggests to some that her policies may shift the current U.S. approach to the conflict. In contrast to the president, who has remained unwilling to weaken unwavering support for Israel, she critiqued military violence in Gaza by emphasizing empathy and concern over the unfolding humanitarian crisis. As one Washington Post headline read: “Harris created distance from Biden on Gaza by emphasizing Palestinian suffering.”
Harris on Support for Israel
On Sunday, July 28, her national security adviser Phil Gordon announced that Harris’ support for Israel’s security is “ironclad.” Her statement follows rising tensions between Hezbollah and Israel on the country’s border with Lebanon. On Sunday, rockets widely believed to be fired by Hezbollah hit a football ground in the Golan Heights, a Syrian province that Israel occupies, and killed at least twelve children. The strike is part of a series of exchanges since October 7 that risks escalation.
During her televised speech on Thursday, she also affirmed her support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
Harris denounced via Twitter some demonstrators’ actions at the recent pro-Palestinian protest on July 24 outside Union Station, criticizing various individual acts, including pro-Hamas graffiti and the burning of an American flag, as “unpatriotic” and “dangerous hate-fueled rhetoric.” Harris emphasized the importance of condemning displays of antisemitism and “any individuals associating” with Hamas. Concurrently, among the protestors were hundreds of activists from Jewish Voices for Peace, a Jewish-led organization created to work towards Palestinian liberation.
Pro-Palestinian Groups’ Reactions to Harris’ Stance on the Gaza War
While Harris has expressed empathy for civilian suffering in Gaza, some pro-Palestinian activists believe she does not scrutinize Israel’s actions in Gaza enough.
Some activists have argued that Harris’ empathy for Palestinians enduring humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza can be dismissed as empty rhetoric if she is elected and does not put more pressure on the root issues of Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank or reform Washington’s relationship with Israel.
Harris has indicated she does not plan to withdraw U.S. support for Israel or deny Israel’s right to security. But her language—though vague and not addressing specific policies—suggests she may take a more proactive approach to the ongoing tragedy and high death tolls in Gaza.
TeachMideast has also examined the differences between Biden and Trump’s stances on Gaza: https://teachmideast.org/presidential-debate-biden-and-trump-discuss-gaza-war/
Further Reading