Harris doesn’t need to impose a full embargo on Israel – but she can pledge to enforce US laws restricting arms transfers to human rights violators
By Mohamad Bazzi, The Guardian
Since she emerged as the Democratic presidential nominee after Joe Biden dropped out of the race, Kamala Harris has expressed more sympathy for Palestinians than the president she is hoping to replace. But so far, Harris has made clear that she won’t deviate from Biden’s core policy on the Gaza war: unconditional US support for Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, no matter what he does to block a ceasefire and prolong the conflict.
“I’m unequivocal and unwavering in my commitment to Israel’s defense and its ability to defend itself,” Harris told CNN on 29 August, in her first major TV interview since securing the nomination. She added: “Far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed.” These comments reinforced her acceptance speech at the Democratic national convention a week earlier, where she pledged to “always stand up for Israel” and also called for Palestinian “freedom and self-determination”.
Harris doubled down on Biden’s months-long effort to broker a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. But, like Biden, Harris is refusing to use the most effective US leverage over Netanyahu: withholding billions of dollars in weapons that Washington has rushed to Israel since the 7 October attack by Hamas. For months, Biden and his aides have been spinning their wheels and getting outmaneuvered by Netanyahu, who continues to sabotage ceasefire negotiations by adding new conditions.
While Harris insists that she wants a ceasefire, she has gotten bogged down in a semantic debate about whether she would support an arms embargo against Israel. Harris has made clear she won’t break with the Biden administration’s policy on supplying Israel with weapons without any conditions. But Harris doesn’t need to impose a full-scale embargo on Israel.
Recent Posts
The World is Getting Too Hot to Feed Itself
Take Action Now A new U.N. report maps how extreme heat is tearing through every layer of the global food system — and mostly overlooks the people at…
Cuba’s Fate Should Not Be in U.S. Hands
Take Action Now U.S. officials are relying on Trump’s executive order of January 29 which, without evidence, accused Cuba of being an “extraordinary…
As Opposition Grows, Oklahoma Organizers Share How They Halted an ICE Warehouse
Take Action Now Organizers also channeled mass outrage into long-haul organizing for immigration justice in Oklahoma and beyond.By Lydia…
Meet the Four Democrats Who’ll Decide If Trump Gets His Domestic Spying Law
Take Action Now “It all comes down to those four,” said an advocate, “and if they are going to continue to try to hand Trump warrantless…