A top aide to Kamala Harris said Thursday that she does not support an arms embargo on US ally Israel. It is one of her first concrete statements on her Gaza war policy since entering the 2024 White House race in July.
The remarks came a day after the US vice president was heckled by pro-Palestinian protesters at a rally, the first time the incident has taken place since he became the Democratic nominee less than three weeks ago.
Harris also met with groups opposing the war after a rally in Detroit, Michigan. Participants reportedly said they raised the issue of stopping US arms supplies to Israel.
“She does not support an arms embargo on Israel,” Harris’ national security adviser Phil Gordon said on XTV.
He said the vice president “has stated the clear: She will always ensure that Israel is able to defend itself from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups.”
Harris is facing pressure from the left-wing faction of the Democratic Party to shift her stance from President Joe Biden’s strong military and political support for Israel’s war in Gaza since the October 7 attacks by Hamas.
The issue is also important in Michigan, a battleground state in the November election that has a large population of Arab Americans who are vocally opposed to the war.
Harris was repeatedly interrupted by Gaza protesters in Detroit on Wednesday.
“If you want Donald Trump to win, say so. Otherwise, I will speak,” she said, her face hardening to silence interruptions.
Harris would also not want to alienate the majority of American voters, who polls show support Israel.
As vice president, Harris has sometimes been more critical than Biden about civilian casualties caused by Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
Harris then changed her tone drastically after Biden dropped out of the 2024 election, saying in strong words after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that she “would not remain silent” on the situation.
But Harris’s adviser’s comments made clear she would not support any blanket ban on weapons transfers.
Under Biden, the White House has blocked the delivery of only one shipment of heavy bombs to Israel because of concerns about how they would be used.
In Detroit on Wednesday, Harris and her new running mate, Tim Walz, met briefly with leaders of the “Uncommitted” group, which has organised people to cast protest votes against Biden in this year’s Democratic primary, according to US media.
Its founders told The New York Times that they had asked Harris for a full meeting to discuss their demands for a ban, and that Harris told them she was ready to meet.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
