US Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview with CBS News, criticized Hamas for its October 7 attack, highlighting the brutal treatment of Israeli victims. She noted that they were “horribly abused and raped, rape being a tool of war.”
Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Harris emphasized the need to differentiate between the Israeli government and the Israeli people. She stressed, “It’s important for us to distinguish or at least not conflate the Israeli government with the Israeli people. The Israeli people are entitled to security – as are the Palestinians. In equal measure,” during her discussion with CBS News.
She further reiterated the United States’ commitment to ensuring the security of Israel and its citizens. Harris stated, “And our work as always as the United States is to do what we must, and what we always have, to stand for the security of Israel and its people, and also to do what we have done behind closed doors and in public around forcing a better path forward in terms of what’s happening currently in Gaza.”
When questioned about her confidence in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Harris emphasized the urgency of ending the conflict. She stated, “This conflict has to end as soon as possible, and how it does so matters. We need to get the hostages out, we need humanitarian aid to go in and ultimately we need a two-state solution.”
Harris’s call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip came after urging both Israel and Hamas to accept a proposed deal. She emphasized, “Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire — for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table,” during a speech in Selma, Alabama.
Additionally, Harris called on the Israeli government to increase the flow of aid into Gaza, citing the dire humanitarian conditions. She asserted, “People in Gaza are starving. The conditions are inhumane and our common humanity compels us to act. The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses.”
During her meeting with Minister Benny Gantz at the White House, Harris condemned Hamas’s terrorist activities and reiterated US support for Israel’s right to defend itself. She expressed deep concern about the humanitarian conditions in Gaza and emphasized the need for a credible humanitarian plan.
{Matzav.com}