Republican Senator Tom Cotton criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for her handling of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, calling her "naive" on Iran and accusing the Biden administration of putting constraints on Israel.
Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has launched a scathing attack on Vice President Kamala Harris's handling of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, accusing her of being "naive" on Iran and blaming the Biden administration for imposing "constraints" on Israel.
Cotton, a member of the Senate Intelligence, Armed Services, and Judiciary Committees, appeared on "Fox News Sunday" and slammed Harris's policy toward Israel over the past 10 months as an example of her lack of preparedness to be commander-in-chief.
Tom Cotton Slams Kamala Harris as "Naive" on Iran, Blasts Biden Admin for "Constraints" on Israel
"She immediately took at face value Hamas' claims about the number of people killed and what they were doing," Cotton said.
The death toll in Gaza is reported by the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatant and civilian casualties.
Tom Cotton Slams Kamala Harris as "Naive" on Iran, Blasts Biden Admin for "Constraints" on Israel
Cotton defended Israel's strikes on targets in Gaza, arguing that Hamas uses hospitals and schools for command and control or to launch attacks.
"There are civilian casualties in Gaza, no doubt, but those are solely the responsibility of Hamas, not Israel. Kamala Harris, like Joe Biden, though, have put more pressure on Israel than they put on Hamas from the very beginning," Cotton said.
Tom Cotton Slams Kamala Harris as "Naive" on Iran, Blasts Biden Admin for "Constraints" on Israel
Cotton also condemned Harris's decision to join approximately 128 Democratic members of Congress in skipping Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress last month.
"She refused to preside over the joint session, her only constitutional duty as president of the Senate, she refused to have a meeting in public with him, and she came out and again blamed Israel for the civilian casualties in Gaza, only emboldening Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists," Cotton said.
Tom Cotton Slams Kamala Harris as "Naive" on Iran, Blasts Biden Admin for "Constraints" on Israel
"And what did you have two days later? Hezbollah, another Iranian-backed terrorist, shot rockets into Israel and blew up children playing ball at a playground. Kamala Harris is naive, and she's not prepared to be commander in chief," he added.
After her private meeting with Netanyahu, Harris did acknowledge that Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorist factions.
However, Cotton criticized Harris's use of the word "but" in her statements on the conflict, arguing that it implies that Israel is responsible for the civilian suffering in Gaza.
"And what comes after the 'but' with Kamala Harris is always implying that Israel is responsible for all the civilian suffering in Gaza, not Hamas, that Israel is the one being provocative when it's waging a defensive war... that Israel is the one that should pull in its horns, as opposed to supporting Israel and standing strong against Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists throughout the region," Cotton said.
Cotton also criticized Harris's handling of interruptions by anti-Israel protesters. He accused her of sympathizing with the protesters rather than condemning their support for terrorists.
Cotton praised Israel's handling of the conflict "despite the constraints that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have put on them." He added that the Biden administration's arms embargo on Israel has not helped matters.
Cotton also criticized the Biden administration for not fully supporting Israel in its fight against Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists. He argued that the United States and Israel cannot have peaceful and stable relations in the Middle East without close cooperation.
