Washington, DC – Vice President Kamala Harris says she will “not be silent” in the face of Palestinian suffering, as Israel’s war in Gaza rages on.
But Palestinian rights advocates want to know exactly what that means for United States foreign policy.
The vice president — and the Democrats’ likely nominee for the presidency — emphasised the plight of Palestinians in Gaza after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. Nevertheless, she pledged ongoing support for Israel.
Activists say expressing sympathy for Palestinians without pursuing a meaningful shift away from the US’s policy of unconditional military and diplomatic support will not help Harris win back voters alienated by President Joe Biden’s approach to the war.
“Without an actual commitment to stop killing the children of Gaza, I don’t care about her empathy for them,” said Eman Abdelhadi, a sociologist at the University of Chicago. She stressed that the US bears “responsibility” for the atrocities committed against Palestinians.
“To be empathetic to someone that you’re shooting in the head is not exactly laudable. We don’t need empathy from these people. We need them to stop providing the weapons and the money that is actively killing the people that they’re supposedly empathising with.”
Unfortunately, polls on this issue have come up with highly varied results. So long as a very significant number of Americans support Israeli military action though, she will probably retain this half-half position, to not alienate older voters that tend to support Israel.
This will not be improved by speaking in support of hamas, claiming they are some sort of “freedom fighters” or anything like that, when they never allowed Gazans any freedoms.
A better idea would be to talk about encroachment of Israeli settlements and sanctioned violence in the West Bank under Netanyahu in defiance of the two-state solution proposed in the Oslo Accords (simply known to Americans from the time as the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Deal, negotiated during the Clinton years), and statements from prominent Israelis about the apartheid-like situation of Gaza over the years.
This is not true. Polls have showed massive support for a ceasefire. Over 70% of Democrats.
Israel has never allowed Gazans any freedoms while they locked them inside of a concentration camp you mean right?
70% of democrats supporting a cease fire does not mean Israel does not have significant support. Democrats are not the only voters she wants, she also wants independents and anti-Trump republicans. Cease fires can be temporary.
https://www.pewresearch.org/2024/03/21/majority-in-u-s-say-israel-has-valid-reasons-for-fighting-fewer-say-the-same-about-hamas/#:~:text=Views of the Israeli government,from 12%25 to 21%25.
Neither hamas nor Israel allowed Gazans freedoms. Hamas has held power there since being voted in almost 20 years ago, and has never allowed another election.
Yes the independents and anti Trump voters are also in favor of stronger also anti israel rhetoric. Which is what this article is about.
Not sure why you felt the need to paste some Hasbara at the end there. You sure don’t seem to have an agenda.
The article did not say that anywhere, because it is not true. 30% of democrats are not even in support of a cease fire, by your own figure. This gets much higher among our conservatives.
I do have an agenda, I am against aggressive warfighters that start hot wars, and am in favor of self-determination and accurate information. This seems to be in opposition to your agenda, which appears to be simply anti-Israeli no matter what.
No you do not call out israel for their brutal oppression you just keep bringing up Hamas.
Ergo you have a pro israel agenda not an anti agressor agenda.
That’s funny, if you scroll up just a little bit you will see my criticisms of Israeli settlements and violence in the West Bank.
I simply do not think hamas are some sort of heroes, when they are absolutely demons. The IDF fighting hamas is two evils fighting each other. Siding with either is picking your favorite evil.
edit because up and down are different directions
Just pointing this out as a public service message. Linky is a well-known bad faith poster. Likely not even from any of the countries involved. And speaking from a position of extreme privilege. Hence why they can argue for unrealistic positions and against the best options we have. But not worry about suffering negative consequences from it.
I wish this was a pinned message.
Looked at post history and you aren’t wrong…
And both Biden and Harris support a ceasefire.
Do 70% of Democrats also support a complete cessation of all weapon sales to Israel? Or ending our diplomatic ties with Israel? Or even a two state solution?
This is a complex web of an issue. Support for a ceasefire does not translate to support for stopping weapons to Israel, nor anything else about the issue. Don’t pretend otherwise
Biden and Harris do not support a ceasefire. If they did they would use their leverage to achieve it.
Words and actions are different don’t pretend otherwise.
A better alternative than letting them free range in a war zone while Israel tries to hunt terrorists and rescue hostages. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
You misspelled “commit Genocide”
I don’t recall the ICJ ruling it was a genocide.
They ruled that it was “likely genocide” and ordered Israel to stop several specific genocidal behaviors.
Israel of course just called ICJ illegitimate and kept on committing genocide.
Plausible, not likely.
Basically same difference.
It was a preliminary ruling. That’s the closest to “definitely committing genocide” you can get in a preliminary ruling.
I wonder what your deflection will be when the ICJ warrants are granted and Netanyahu can’t go to most of the world without being arrested…
No, all it states is there are grounds to investigate. That is how law works. Innocent until guilty. They would have convicted by now had the evidence been as cut and dry as you think it is.
Guilty? Good. Arrest them. Until then due process is paramount in a civilized society that doesn’t execute people for being gay or trans.