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 “real, close ally.”
“I think, with all due respect, the better question is, do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people? And the answer to that question is yes,” Harris instructed CBS’ “60 Minutes” in a preview clip.
For the reason that Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas bloodbath through which 1,200 Israelis have 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 conflict, 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 cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering — and I will not 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 sufficient plan for civilians.
Final month, Biden declared on the United Nations that “Innocent civilians in Gaza are going through hell” and instructed reporters at his first look within the White Home briefing room final Friday that he was uncertain whether or not Netanyahu is “trying to influence the election.”
Harris, who has largely mirrored Biden on the Israel-Hamas conflict 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 have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region,” 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 a lot of the final 15 years.
Former President Barack Obama famously had a sizzling 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 about to air as an election particular on Monday. This system reached out to Trump for a sit-down as properly, however the two sides have been unable to succeed in an settlement.
The Trump marketing campaign later publicly lashed out at CBS Information and demanded it subject an apology for reporter Lesley Stahl’s “fact check” throughout a 2020 interview through which she instructed The Submit’s bombshell Hunter Biden laptop computer story “can’t be verified.”
