Kamala Harris defends Israel, vows not to stay 'silent' on Gaza strife but fails to win Internet's trust

WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President Kamala Harris said on Thursday, July 25, that although Israel is entitled to self-defense, how it uses this right matters.

Addressing reporters following a "frank" discussion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Harris stated that the war in Gaza was initiated by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which carried out a massacre of 1,200 individuals in October 2023.

Kamala Harris expresses concern over human suffering in Gaza

Kamala Harris, who is poised to become the Democratic presidential nominee following President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the race, expressed concern about the extensive human suffering in Gaza, "including the deaths of far too many innocent civilians".

“What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating – the images of dead children and desperate hungry people fleeing for safety, sometimes displaced for the second, third or fourth time,” Harris said, according to USA Today.

She continued, “We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering, and I will not be silent.”

Harris' meeting with Netanyahu came after the Israeli prime minister's earlier meeting with Biden in the Oval Office on Thursday.

On Wednesday, July 24, Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress, where he criticized his Democratic detractors in Washington and pro-Palestinian demonstrators throughout the US.

Kamala Harris pledged to defend Israel from Iran and Iran-backed militias like Hamas and Hezbollah, stating her unwavering commitment to the state's security and the people of Israel since her youth.

She said, "I will always ensure that Israel is able to defend itself, including from Iran and Iran-backed militias such as Hamas and Hezbollah."

"From when I was a young girl collecting funds to plant trees for Israel to my time in the United States Senate and now at the White House, I have had an unwavering commitment to the existence of the state of Israel to its security and to the people of Israel," she added.

Kamala Harris' meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu marked her first encounter with a contentious foreign leader

Kamla Harris' meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu marked her first encounter with a contentious foreign leader since she emerged as the likely Democratic presidential nominee.

The Biden administration's stance on Israel, represented by Netanyahu, has incited anger among the party's left wing, undermining Biden's candidacy.

Jewish voters, in particular, are now scrutinizing Harris' approach for indications of how she might manage the Middle East conflict should she become president.

Harris, who is married to a Jewish man, emphasized to the prime minister the urgency of concluding the ceasefire and hostage plan outlined by Biden in late May.

Negotiators are persistently working on the agreement, aiming to ultimately cease the hostilities.

“As I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is time to get this deal done,” she remarked. “So to everyone who has been calling for a ceasefire and to everyone who yearns for peace, I see you and I hear you. Let's get the deal done.”

Harris affirmed her ongoing commitment to a course of action that may result in a two-state resolution.

“I know right now it is hard to conceive of that prospect, but a two-state solution is the only path that ensures Israel remains a secure Jewish and democratic state and one that ensures Palestinians can finally realize the freedom, security and prosperity that they rightly deserve,” she stated.

Internet reacts to Kamala Harris' remarks on Israel and Gaza war

Vice President Kamala Harris was criticized online after her "frank" meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A user said, "Amazing how her handlers came up with this after seeing Netanyahu's speech. No one trusts her now."

Another user added, "Too little too late."

The third commentator wrote, "I do not buy her fake statement. Do not be fooled she is no friend to Israel."

"They are trying to present her as presidential. It’s not working," one said.

A person remarked, "I don't know that I have ever seen someone so bad at their job, truly."

Other chimed in, "She's illegally taken over. I don't understand why our Republicans aren't questioning these moves."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.