WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday she had a “frank and constructive” meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, which included his concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the need to finalize a ceasefire agreement.
“What has happened in Gaza over the last nine months is devastating,” Harris told reporters after the meeting. “We cannot look away from these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to suffering and I will not remain silent.”
Harris said he would “always” ensure Israel’s ability to defend itself and pointed to what he described as a “hopeful move” in negotiations to secure a ceasefire. She said she told the prime minister during the meeting that “it’s time to get this deal done.”
“Let’s close the deal so we can achieve a ceasefire to end the war. Let’s bring the hostages home and provide much-needed aid to the Palestinian people. And ultimately, I remain committed to a path forward that can lead to a two-state solution,” Harris said.
She did not answer any questions from reporters after making her comments.
Netanyahu’s office posted in X about the meeting, which included a photo of the two leaders shaking hands at the White House. The Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday night about the meeting.
The meeting lasted in higher stakes amid the 2024 election shift as Harris runs for president following President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race. Harris missed Netanyahu’s speech before a joint congressional meeting on Wednesday because of a previously scheduled event in Indianapolis. Typically, the vice president presides over joint speeches.
Hours earlier, Biden hosted the Israeli leader in the Oval Office for a bilateral meeting and the two leaders met for about an hour with families of American hostages held hostage in Gaza.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office before the meeting, Netanyahu said thanked Biden for his 50 years of public service and his support for the state of Israel.
“Mr. President, we have known each other for 40 years, and you have known every Israeli Prime Minister for 50 years, since Golda Meir. So, from a proud Jewish Zionist to a proud Irish-American Zionist, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the State of Israel,” said Netanyahu.
Biden responded just a few words before the media left, remembering the encounter with Meir and joking that he was “only 12 years old when it happened.”
Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin is among about 120 hostages held by Hamas following its Oct. 7 terrorist attack, told reporters after meeting with the two leaders that she thinks Biden’s decision to step aside in the 2024 race allows him to be “focused” on bringing the hostages home.
“I think not having to worry about all the things that go into reelection gives you the freedom to focus on that. And we wish you the best of luck in that endeavor,” Goldberg said.
Jonathan Dekel-Chen, father of another hostage, Sagui Dekel-Chen, said the families got an “absolute commitment” from Biden and Netanyahu that they “understand the urgency of this moment now, to not waste time and to conclude this agreement as it currently is, with as few changes as humanly possible within it.”
Thursday marked the first time Biden and Netanyahu to have have met in person since Biden visited Israel shortly after October 7.
A senior administration official told reporters on Wednesday that Biden planned to discuss his “iron-clad commitment to the security of Israel, the very serious threats from Iran and Iranian terrorist groups and proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.” .
The official said the two leaders were expected to speak “in depth” about developments in Gaza, including efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement and the humanitarian crisis. Management believes a deal “is nearing completion and is getting to a point where we believe a deal can be reached, and it is time to move forward to close that deal,” the official said.
The White House has not published a readout of the Biden-Netanyahu meeting.
Harris has been involved in the Israel-Gaza conflict for the past 10 months, the same official said, including participating in all calls with Netanyahu as well as critical meetings such as those with families of hostages.
During a briefing on Thursday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Biden was working with Netanyahu to fill gaps related to establishing a ceasefire agreement.
Asked whether Biden believes Netanyahu wants to reach a ceasefire agreement and is capable and willing to bridge the gaps, Kirby said: “Yes, yes and yes. He himself said this publicly. He wants to take the hostages home and the Israelis, the government, Prime Minister Netanyahu, have been working with us to try to get this deal over the finish line.”
Harris’ comments on the Israel-Hamas conflict are being closely watched for any signs of the possibility of a different approach to Israel than Biden, including being more critical of Netanyahu if she wins in November. His position could have an impact on the so-called disengagement movement that emerged during the primaries to protest Biden’s war-related policies.
Asked whether, as a candidate, Harris’ approach to foreign policy will be different from the Biden administration, Kirby said, “You would have to talk to the vice president’s office and the campaign about that.”
The senior administration official who spoke to reporters on Wednesday said, “Obviously there will be no daylight between the president and the vice president” in their respective meetings with Netanyahu.
In his speech to Congress, Netanyahu thanked Biden “for his tireless efforts on behalf of the hostages and also for his efforts on behalf of the hostage families.”
Netanyahu also thanked Biden for his leadership in his speech.
“I thank President Biden for his sincere support for Israel after the savage October 7 attack,” Netanyahu said. “He rightly called Hamas ‘pure evil.’ He dispatched two aircraft carriers to the Middle East to prevent a wider war and came to Israel to be with us during our darkest hour – a visit that will never be forgotten.”
“President Biden and I have known each other for over 40 years,” he continued. “I want to thank him for half a century of friendship with Israel and for being, as he says, a proud Zionist. Indeed, he says, a proud Irish-American Zionist.”
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
