Kamala Harris denies intention to consider Israeli arms embargo
3 Min Read
Harris still uses the excuse of "self-defense" for "Israel" to justify her continuous support for the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
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Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally Wednesday, August 7, 2024, in Romulus, Mich. (AP)
US Vice President and Democratic frontrunner Kamala Harris' team released a statement announcing that she will not be discussing an arms embargo on "Israel" after two far-left activists from the Uncommitted movement claimed she exhibited openness to do so.
The Times of Israel reported, citing The New York Times, that Harris met with two Arab Americans leading the Uncommitted National Movement, who asked her to consider an arms embargo on "Israel", at a campaign stop in Michigan.
Just before her rally, Harris met with Abbas Alawieh and Layla Elabed, who, according to NYT's report, "wanted to support her but... wanted her to consider an arms embargo." In response, Harris indicated she was "open to it" and introduced the two community leaders to her staff.
Harris' team statement in response read, “Since October 7, the vice president has prioritized engaging with Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian community members and others regarding the war in Gaza... In this brief engagement, she reaffirmed that her campaign will continue to engage with those communities.”
It added, "The vice president has been clear: she will always work to ensure Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups. The Vice President is focused on securing the ceasefire and hostage deal currently on the table.”
“As she has said, it is time for this war to end in a way where: Israel is secure, hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinian civilians ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, and self-determination.”
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"Israel" is privately intensifying pressure on the Biden administration and lawmakers on Capitol Hill to expedite weapons approval under the pretext of protecting itself from "Iran and its proxies," a report by Politico revealed two weeks ago after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to the US to perform a show for Congress.
In his speech, Netanyahu addressed the issue of delayed arms transfers, which he has previously criticized the Biden administration for.
“Give us the tools faster and we’ll finish the job faster,” Netanyahu said. “Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and its role in Gaza and bring all our hostages home. That’s what total victory means. And we will settle for nothing less.”
The administration, which has acknowledged withholding the 2,000-pound bombs over concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza, is denying that it is delaying other weapons, amid reports that even the heavy bombs will soon be released from custody to "Israel".
It is worth noting that the Biden administration has delivered substantial amounts of munitions to "Israel", including over 10,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of Hellfire missiles, since the onset of the war on Gaza, Reuters reported in June, citing two American officials familiar with an updated weapons shipment list.
The Washington Post then reported, citing a senior administration official, that the US supplied "Israel" with over $6.5 billion in military supplies dubbed as aid by the end of June since the beginning of the war on Gaza last October, including nearly $3 billion approved in May.
