Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the press following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the White House complex.
Harris began by sharing a personal anecdote from her childhood, recalling how she planted trees to support Israel's "right to defend itself." She emphasized the complexity of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, urging Americans to understand that it is not a binary issue. “Let us all condemn terrorism and violence,” she stated. “And let us condemn antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate of any kind.”
Reflecting on her recent discussions with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Harris said, “I just had a frank and constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I told him that I will always ensure that Israel is able to defend itself, including from Iran and Iran-backed militias such as Hamas and Hezbollah.”
“I’ve had an unwavering commitment to the existence of the State of Israel, to its security, and to the people of Israel,” she said.
That seems like pretty normal political pablum. Of course she and America are committed to those things. Israel is a close ally and a President or candidate is going to affirm that commitment as a sign not just to Israel but to our other allies as well.
I think that's a really bad take. I think most anti-genocide Dems are not against Israel, its people, or its right to defend itself when attacked. I think they are against indiscriminate and deliberate murder, and believe the current operations are a massive overreaction to the Hamas attack. I think they support the right of both peoples to peacefully coexist, which includes improving the human rights situation of the Palestinians even in peace time.
Maybe I'm the one out of touch, but I don't think so.
Israel's current hard right government voted for that. Other governments have been pro two-state.
And what's your desired position here? Israel voted to not accept peace so we should... eliminate Israel? That's the only conclusion where "Israel has a right to exist" is problematic.
“Palestinians” didn’t, Hamas did. Many Palestinians hate Hamas, because they are violent and corrupt and in general dangerous to the Palestinian people.
Israel helps prop up Hamas, instead of more realistic “partners for peace,” for exactly that reason. 😕
Also, OP is getting started early on presenting only one side of Harris’s press conference instead of the more notably unusual for a US politician side. Does that mean she’ll break with US policy once she’s in office? Maybe not, but it’s clearly misinformation to report the one half of it without the other.
Fatah is not considered a terrorist organization by any government. Israel facilitated aid to Hamas. Israeli politicians have sometimes been caught saying explicitly that they like Hamas as an adversary because their violent behavior delegitimizes Palestine on the world stage (leaving unsaid the key corollary “… and that’s more important to me than protecting innocent Israelis from atrocities, let alone Palestinians.”)
That’s the facts, Jack. You can disagree with them if for some reason you want to, but they will remain.
The oppressed do not owe the oppressors civility or safety. Israel is an apartheid colonial state and the people they've been oppressing for 70 years have every right to take up arms.
That's what they plan to do regardless. They are intent on genocide and have been for a long time. It's incredible that you're trying to paint Israel as the victim. It's incredible, but not surprising.
I blame Palestinians for allowing Hamas to come to power and rule by terror. What do you think is going to happen if they are recognized as a nation state? You'd probably have the same situation you have now. The only people doing anything about Hamas is Israel. If Palestinians took care of their own problems (something thats necessary as a sovereign nation) none of this would have happened. Arafat should have taken the deal that was offered to him in 2000.
Are you saying the majority disagree about whether Israel should exist or about whether we should continue sending weapons or about whether they should be an ally at all? Because those are three very very different things. The majority, or at least a plurality, are definitely opposed to the genocide or are at least wanting a ceasefire. But the majority also support Israel's right to exist. They basically just disagree with the severity of Israel's actions.
If you're saying that the majority don't support Israel's right to exist or that we shouldnt ally with them, then I'd really appreciate a citation cause nothing I can find supports that.
The majority, or at least a plurality, are definitely opposed to the genocide or are at least wanting a ceasefire. But the majority also support Israel's right to exist. They basically just disagree with the severity of Israel's actions.
THANK YOU, for pointing this out, it's ignored completely usually, way too many people look at the polling for who wants to stop selling weapons to Israel and come away thinking "Oh a majority of people must want this state to be destroyed/abolished".
Nobody said anything about calculators, you don't seem to understand the question. The comments about using commas in numbers in the U.S. are 100% correct.
You have a keen interest in posting all day about politics in a country you arent from. Can never answer a question about your own background.
Incessantly talk shit about Israeli policy from an anti Democratic perspective without a whif of criticism of the Republicans, who would be far worse in their full throated approval of Israeli warcrimes. What is your native language? Are you able to vote in the USA?
They have Euros in France and the monetary sign comes before the number too.
I'm quite amused by the amount of reaching here though. You guys might accuse me of being the Boston Bomber if you keep this level of detective work going.