Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly pushing President Joe Biden to be more publicly sympathetic towards Gaza and the Palestinians as the administration faces pushback from its own party and staffers over its pro-Israel stance, three people familiar with Harris’ comments told Politico.
During internal conversations, some with Biden, Harris has reportedly begun to encourage the administration to make plans on how to handle the conclusion of the Israel-Hamas war, three people familiar with Harris’ comments told Politico. The vice president has reportedly called on the United States to be “more forceful at seeking a long-term peace and two-state solution” while also being “tougher” on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one person familiar with Harris’ comments told Politico.
“From day 1, the President, the Vice President, and their advisers have been aligned and adamant that humanitarian aid must be provided, civilians must be protected, and we must remain committed to a Palestinian state,” a senior administration official told Politico. “No one needed to be convinced of that; there were no outliers. This has been the consensus view and remains the consensus view from the President on down.”
Politico’s sources were granted anonymity to speak freely about private conversations.
“I would caution the media about citing anonymous sources in the ‘orbit’ about sensitive national security conversations between the president and vice president that take place in the Oval Office,” Kirsten Allen, Harris’ press secretary told Politico, adding that there isn’t, and there never has been, “daylight” between the vice president and Biden.
U.S. President Joe Biden, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., (back right), Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrive for an event where Biden announced his intent to nominate Brown to serve as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Rose Garden of the White House May 25, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Biden and his administration have expressed their support for Israel since the terrorist organization Hamas attacked the country on Oct. 7, raping, kidnapping and killing Israeli civilians. The president has even previously called for Hamas to be eliminated.
But as the administration unequivocally backs Israel, some of Biden’s own allies are warning that his stance could cost him the young vote in 2024. Some State Department staffers previously asked the White House to publicly air its criticism of the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinian civilians. Former staffers on Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign petitioned to the vice president, urging her to call for a ceasefire. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby has maintained that the administration believes a ceasefire only benefits Hamas, though they support humanitarian pauses for the release of hostages.(RELATED: Biden Announces $100 Million In Aid To Gaza Days After Hamas Stole Humanitarian Supplies)
At a recent campaign event, Biden unusually criticized Israel, saying that Netanyahu must change his government and warning that the country was losing global support.
“Israel’s security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States. It has the European Union. It has Europe. It has most of the world supporting them,” Biden said at the campaign reception.
“They’re starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place,” the president added.