Vice President Kamala Harris has defended the recent anti-Israel protests on college campuses, saying they reflect "exactly what the human emotion should be" in response to the Gaza conflict. Harris also promised to investigate conditions in the Gaza Strip, including the availability of food and sanitary pads for women.
Vice President Kamala Harris has defended the recent anti-Israel protests on college campuses, saying they reflect "exactly what the human emotion should be" in response to the Gaza conflict.
Kamala Harris Defends Anti-Israel Protests, Promises to Investigate Conditions in Gaza
In an interview with The Nation magazine, Harris said she understands the emotions behind the protests, even though she rejects some of the protesters' rhetoric.
"I understand the emotion behind it," Harris said. "There are things some of the protesters are saying that I absolutely reject, so I don’t mean to wholesale endorse their points. But we have to navigate it."
Kamala Harris Defends Anti-Israel Protests, Promises to Investigate Conditions in Gaza
Harris' comments come amid growing calls for President Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race and for Harris to replace him. Some Democrats have expressed concerns about Biden's mental acuity, and his disastrous debate performance against former President Trump has only fueled those concerns.
If Biden were to drop out of the race, Harris is considered the top and most natural replacement for the president. However, some Democratic strategists have questioned whether Harris has the necessary experience and qualifications to lead the country.
Kamala Harris Defends Anti-Israel Protests, Promises to Investigate Conditions in Gaza
Harris' defense of the anti-Israel protests is likely to further alienate some Jewish voters, who have already been critical of her for not taking a harder stance against Hamas. However, it is also likely to please some progressive Democrats, who have been calling for more support for the Palestinian cause.
In the interview, Harris also promised to investigate conditions in the Gaza Strip, including the availability of food and sanitary pads for women.
Kamala Harris Defends Anti-Israel Protests, Promises to Investigate Conditions in Gaza
"I like to cook. So I said to my team, 'You can’t make s--- with flour if you don’t have clean water.' So what’s going on with that? I ask questions like, ‘What are people actually eating right now? I’m hearing stories about their eating animal feed, grass’ … so that’s how I think about it," she said.
"Similarly, I was asking early on, what are women in Gaza doing about sanitary hygiene. Do they have pads? And these are the issues that made people feel uncomfortable, especially sanitary pads."
Kamala Harris Defends Anti-Israel Protests, Promises to Investigate Conditions in Gaza
Harris' comments come as Israel has become a lightning rod for the Democratic Party. The party's progressive faction, including members of the "Squad," has come under fierce condemnation from the Jewish community and conservatives for not taking harder stances against Hamas.
Harris has notably been cited by the media and White House sources late last year as urging Biden and the administration to be "tougher" on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as war raged, allegedly arguing the White House needed to be more sympathetic toward Palestinians.
Kamala Harris Defends Anti-Israel Protests, Promises to Investigate Conditions in Gaza
Harris' defense of the anti-Israel protests and her promise to investigate conditions in the Gaza Strip are likely to further divide the Democratic Party on the issue of Israel.
