On Gaza, Democrats’ Most Divisive Issue, Harris Embraces Biden’s Balancing Act

With her party torn between pro-Israel Democrats and younger progressives, she’s looking for a way to quiet one major issue until after the election.

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“I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself,” Kamala Harris said during her speech on Thursday night, before acknowledging the “devastating” damage and “innocent lives lost” as the Israelis retaliated.

When Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday finally addressed the most divisive issue of the Democratic convention — the war in Gaza — she signaled she would pick up almost exactly where President Biden left off.

At the end of her acceptance speech, a hall of supporters who had cheered her calls for reproductive rights and her denunciations of Donald Trump suddenly quieted as she uttered the words: “With respect to the war in Gaza …”

“Let me be clear,” she said, twice, knowing that just beyond the convention hall hundreds of protesters had been calling for the United States to cut off weapons to Israel, as a way of forcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cease bombing densely packed neighborhoods in his effort to kill Hamas leaders.

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00:00:00.000 —> 00:00:03.740 President Biden and I are working around the clock 00:00:03.740 —> 00:00:09.410 because now is the time to get a hostage deal and a cease-fire 00:00:09.410 —> 00:00:11.030 deal done. 00:00:11.030 —> 00:00:13.190 And let me be clear: 00:00:13.190 —> 00:00:19.417 I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself. 00:00:19.417 —> 00:00:23.450 Because the people of Israel must never again face 00:00:23.450 —> 00:00:27.740 the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas 00:00:27.740 —> 00:00:30.440 caused on Oct. 7. 00:00:30.440 —> 00:00:34.460 At the same time, what has happened in 00:00:34.460 —> 00:00:38.840 Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. 00:00:38.840 —> 00:00:42.690 So many innocent lives lost. 00:00:42.690 —> 00:00:47.090 President Biden and I are working to end this war such 00:00:47.090 —> 00:00:49.230 that Israel is secure. 00:00:49.230 —> 00:00:52.880 The hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza 00:00:52.880 —> 00:00:55.520 ends and the Palestinian people 00:00:55.520 —> 00:01:01.099 can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom 00:01:01.099 —> 00:01:03.350 and self-determination.

“I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself,” she said, adding “because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas caused on Oct. 7.” She went on to describe the massacre at a music festival that Saturday morning, 10 months ago, specifically noting the “unspeakable sexual violence” that morning, an accusation Hamas continues to deny.

She then went on to talk anew about the “devastating” damage and “innocent lives lost” as the Israelis retaliated. “The scale of the suffering is heartbreaking.” But, like Mr. Biden, she gave no indication that, if elected, she would use the leverage of America’s military support for Israel to pressure it to change tactics. She offered no hint of the tension in the relationship with Mr. Netanyahu, which she has witnessed firsthand, as a listener-in, and sometimes participant, in the tense phone calls with the Israeli leader.

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