Vice President Harris will be absent from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, a move some Republicans called “mean-spirited.”
But the move could have the potential to shed some light between her and President Biden when it comes to the Israeli leader.
Harris, now quickly consolidating support as the presumptive Democratic nominee after President Biden dropped out of the race, has been seen as more sympathetic to the Palestinian cause compared to the commander-in-chief, who has been followed across the country by protesters. demanding an end to the war. the war.
As vice president, Harris would traditionally preside over a joint session involving a speech by a foreign leader. But instead, she’ll be on the road in Indiana – choosing not to change her pre-existing plans.
The move could further solidify support among young, minority and more progressive voters, who polls show have been more sympathetic to the cause.
For starters, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, recently said that Harris “has a deep empathy for the plight of Palestinian Americans,” adding, “it comes more naturally to her.”
However, the decision also carries some risks, as Republicans will likely point to Harris’ absence as an unnecessary slight to an important US ally, something former President Trump’s campaign is sure to echo.
“VPOTUS Harris’s disregard for Netanyahu is petty and disrespectful,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Monday on social platform.
Harris, 59, is from a different generation than Biden, the 81-year-old president who was increasingly out of step with young Democrats due to his fiercely pro-Israel stance.
Allies say that as a woman of Black and South Asian descent, Harris is naturally more sympathetic to Palestinians, even though she supported Biden’s support for Israel in the war with Hamas, which is designated a terrorist group by the US.
“The vice president’s language from the beginning included both Israeli security and the plight of the Palestinians. This was well received by people on both sides of the Israel debate,” said a Harris ally.
Harris, in particular, had a breakthrough moment on the subject during a March speech in Selma, Alabama, to mark the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, on which she began her comments addressing the war, where she called the situation in Gaza “devastating” and a “humanitarian catastrophe.”
These were some of the most damning words to come out of the administration since the start of the war at the time. Harris received several rounds of applause during her remarks, while Biden was often met with silence or protesters when he addressed the topic.
Harris joins progressive lawmakers like Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who have said they will not attend Netanyahu’s speech. Replacing Harris in the chamber chair will be Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the retiring Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) would also have presided over his leadership role, but she also declined to do so.
Instead, Harris will meet with Netanyahu in a separate meeting from Biden on Thursday, according to her office. Her office said she would not be able to chair the joint session because of her previously scheduled trip to Indianapolis on Wednesday.
One of the main things that remains to be seen is how Harris will be received by a group of voters who have launched a cohesive campaign to cast protest votes against Biden in the Democratic primary over his wartime politics.
Biden lost more than half a million voters to the “disengaged” movement in this year’s Democratic primaries, numbers that underscored frustration within his own party over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
The “Abandon Biden” organization, which helped mobilize the protest votes, said it is open to meeting with Harris’ office before determining whether it will also protest her candidacy.
“With this unexpected transformational change, we think it’s only fair to at least have the opportunity for Kamala Harris to clarify what her politics will be if she becomes president,” Hassan Abdel Salam, co-founder of Abandon Biden and professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota, said. to The Hill.
But he added that the “signs” the group is seeing are that Harris “wants to pursue the policy that Biden presided over.”
Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of Our Revolution, also said progressives are hesitant to assume that a Harris administration will be tougher on Israel, but view her not presiding over Netanyahu’s speech as a step in the direction they want her to go.
“Vice President Harris’ decision to ignore Netanyahu’s speech is a positive step, reflecting the growing momentum of our pro-peace movement. However, this alone is not enough – we need a monumental change in our foreign policy,” he said.
An aide to the vice president said she has an “unwavering commitment to Israel’s security” and has been engaged with Israeli officials since the Oct. 7 attacks, speaking “regularly” with President Isaac Herzog.
The aide noted that she has “repeatedly condemned Hamas’ brutal October 7 attack and expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself,” which echoes Biden’s stance on the conflict. She is also expected to “reiterate her deep concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the loss of innocent lives,” the aide said.
With that rhetoric, she hasn’t gone as far as some lawmakers.
Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D), a progressive lawmaker who said she was “proud” to vote uncommitted in the Michigan primary, called it shameful that Netanyahu would address Congress.
Gen Z voters, many of whom consider the war in Gaza an important issue to them after protests on college campuses occurred last spring, are excited about Harris but worried about whether it will meet its demands in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, has led the administration’s efforts to combat anti-Semitism. He also called Jewish leaders at Columbia University when pro-Palestinian protests closed the campus last April.
Harris’ meeting with Netanyahu this week could ease concerns among voters angry about Biden’s handling of the war and give him more of a boost this week if progressives can see his candidacy as a fresh start in politics for the Middle East.
“Not being responsible for the situation in Gaza will help the vice president bring back into the fold Democrats who have been upset in recent months about the issue,” said Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons, who worked for Harris until last year.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
