Amid friction with Israeli management, Vice President Kamala Harris sidestepped a query about whether or not she considers Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be a “actual, shut ally.”
“I feel, with all due respect, the higher query is, do we’ve got an necessary alliance between the American folks and the Israeli folks? And the reply to that query is sure,” Harris advised CBS’ “60 Minutes” in a preview clip.
For the reason that Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas bloodbath through which 1,200 Israelis had been killed, the Harris-Biden administration has, at occasions, discovered itself at loggerheads with Netanyahu over his response.
Searching for to avert a broader, protracted struggle, Harris and President Biden pushed again towards sure Israeli navy operations in Lebanon in addition to the Gaza Strip and referred to as for a ceasefire.
Harris, 59, met with Netanyahu, 74, days after Biden bowed out of the 2024 race and underscored the plights of the Palestinian folks, telling him publicly, “We can not permit ourselves to grow to be numb to the struggling — and I can’t be silent.”
Biden, 81, has repeatedly clashed with Netanyahu, warning the US ally to not invade the southern Gazan metropolis of Rafah with out an enough plan for civilians.
Final month, Biden declared on the United Nations that “Harmless civilians in Gaza are going by means of hell” and advised reporters at his first look within the White Home briefing room final Friday that he was not sure whether or not Netanyahu is “making an attempt to affect the election.”
Harris, who has largely mirrored Biden on the Israel-Hamas struggle as they grapple with progressive backlash, additionally demurred about whether or not Netanyahu listens to the US and whether or not Washington nonetheless has “sway” over its ally.
“The work that we’ve got executed has resulted in a lot of actions in that area by Israel that had been very a lot prompted by or a results of many issues, together with our advocacy for what must occur within the area,” she stated in response to that query about whether or not Netanyahu listens to the US.
She additionally reiterated her well-worn name for a ceasefire deal and the discharge of the hostages held by Hamas.
Notably, the final three presidents have had run-ins with Netanyahu, who served as prime minister for many of the final 15 years.
Former President Barack Obama famously had a scorching mic slip-up about his Israeli counterpart. Former President Donald Trump accused Netanyahu of backing out on the final minute on the strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.
Harris’ interview with “60 Minutes” is ready to air as an election particular on Monday. This system reached out to Trump for a sit-down as nicely, however the two sides had been unable to succeed in an settlement.
The Trump marketing campaign later publicly lashed out at CBS Information and demanded it concern an apology for reporter Lesley Stahl’s “reality test” throughout a 2020 interview through which she recommended The Publish’s bombshell Hunter Biden laptop computer story “can’t be verified.”
