Washington, DC – Vice President Kamala Harris says she will “not be silent” in the face of Palestinian suffering, as Israel’s war in Gaza rages on.
But Palestinian rights advocates want to know exactly what that means for United States foreign policy.
The vice president — and the Democrats’ likely nominee for the presidency — emphasised the plight of Palestinians in Gaza after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. Nevertheless, she pledged ongoing support for Israel.
Activists say expressing sympathy for Palestinians without pursuing a meaningful shift away from the US’s policy of unconditional military and diplomatic support will not help Harris win back voters alienated by President Joe Biden’s approach to the war.
“Without an actual commitment to stop killing the children of Gaza, I don’t care about her empathy for them,” said Eman Abdelhadi, a sociologist at the University of Chicago. She stressed that the US bears “responsibility” for the atrocities committed against Palestinians.
“To be empathetic to someone that you’re shooting in the head is not exactly laudable. We don’t need empathy from these people. We need them to stop providing the weapons and the money that is actively killing the people that they’re supposedly empathising with.”
Unfortunately, polls on this issue have come up with highly varied results. So long as a very significant number of Americans support Israeli military action though, she will probably retain this half-half position, to not alienate older voters that tend to support Israel.
This will not be improved by speaking in support of hamas, claiming they are some sort of “freedom fighters” or anything like that, when they never allowed Gazans any freedoms.
A better idea would be to talk about encroachment of Israeli settlements and sanctioned violence in the West Bank under Netanyahu in defiance of the two-state solution proposed in the Oslo Accords (simply known to Americans from the time as the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Deal, negotiated during the Clinton years), and statements from prominent Israelis about the apartheid-like situation of Gaza over the years.
This is not true. Polls have showed massive support for a ceasefire. Over 70% of Democrats.
Israel has never allowed Gazans any freedoms while they locked them inside of a concentration camp you mean right?
70% of democrats supporting a cease fire does not mean Israel does not have significant support. Democrats are not the only voters she wants, she also wants independents and anti-Trump republicans. Cease fires can be temporary.
Neither hamas nor Israel allowed Gazans freedoms. Hamas has held power there since being voted in almost 20 years ago, and has never allowed another election.
Yes the independents and anti Trump voters are also in favor of stronger also anti israel rhetoric. Which is what this article is about.
Not sure why you felt the need to paste some Hasbara at the end there. You sure don’t seem to have an agenda.
The article did not say that anywhere, because it is not true. 30% of democrats are not even in support of a cease fire, by your own figure. This gets much higher among our conservatives.
I do have an agenda, I am against aggressive warfighters that start hot wars, and am in favor of self-determination and accurate information. This seems to be in opposition to your agenda, which appears to be simply anti-Israeli no matter what.
No you do not call out israel for their brutal oppression you just keep bringing up Hamas.
Ergo you have a pro israel agenda not an anti agressor agenda.
The $5m she’s taken from AIPAC and the language in her letter the other day regarding Union Station suggests she’s gonna mirror Biden policy of condoning and funding genocide.
Unless she takes a hard stance with threats to remove money and weapons then the status quo is what we should expect.
A cop can never be trusted to be telling the truth. She’s pandering to her base only for them to be let down again.
Who would you want to see as president (besides Bernie)
If given the choice, I would just assume Democrats and Republicans as a party dropped off the face of the earth.
