VP Harris presses Netanyahu at meeting for Gaza ceasefire
3 Min Read
US Vice President Kamala Harris, in a statement following her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, strongly urged the necessity of a ceasefire deal.
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Vice President Kamala Harris speaks from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, on July 22, 2024. (AP)
After her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Vice President Kamala Harris stated that it was time to secure a Gaza ceasefire deal immediately.
The vice president and Netanyahu had a 40-minute discussion in her ceremonial office and made a statement afterward.
In her statement, she affirmed her commitment to ensuring that "Israel" can defend itself against threats, pointing at Iran, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, and the Palestinian Resistance.
"I've said it many times, but it bears repeating. Israel has a right to defend itself and how it does so matters," she said.
Despite the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza, Harris blamed Operation Al-Aqsa Flood for the war on Gaza, saying that the group was "responsible for triggering" the war.
Harris touches on Gaza's humanitarian situation
The vice president of the current administration, which is funding the Israeli aggressive war on Gaza, then expressed to Netanyahu her "serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians."
"I made clear my serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation there with over 2 million people facing high levels of food insecurity and half a million people facing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity," she added.
She added saying that "The images of dead children and desperate hungry people fleeing for safety, sometimes displaced for the second, third or fourth time. We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering and I will not be silent."
What about the ceasefire deal?
The VP stressed there is a deal on the table for a ceasefire and a captive deal.
"It is time for this war to end and the end in a way where Israel is secure, all the hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza ends and the Palestinian people can exercise their right to freedom, dignity, and self-determination," she said.
"And as I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu it is time to get this deal done. Let's get the deal done. So we can get a ceasefire to end the war. Let's bring the hostages home. And let's provide much-needed relief to the Palestinian people."
Moreover, she stressed in her statement her commitment to work towards a two-state solution, adding that "a two-state solution is the only path that ensures Israel remains a secure Jewish and democratic state and one that ensures Palestinians can finally realize the freedom security and prosperity that they rightly deserve."
This comes amid a turbulent time in US politics, with President Joe Biden crafting his agenda for the final months of his presidency and Vice President Kamala Harris stepping up her campaign efforts. As a result, the Biden administration is facing mounting criticism for its ongoing approval of weapons transfers, despite the rising death toll in Gaza.
