Kamala Harris signaled a possible major shift in U.S. policy toward Gaza on Thursday, vowing not to remain “silent” in the face of civilian suffering and stressing the need to reach a peace deal without delay.
Far from the habits of outgoing President Joe Biden, who favors behind-the-scenes pressure with Israel, the vice-president declared, after meeting Mr. Netanyahu, that it was time to put an end to the “devastating” war.
“What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating,” she said, referring to “dead children” and “desperate and hungry people fleeing for safety.”
“We cannot turn away from these tragedies. We cannot afford to become numb to the suffering and I will not remain silent,” she added to the press.
The 59-year-old former senator, who is in the race for the White House after Joe Biden withdrew last weekend, explained that she had stressed the dire situation to Mr Netanyahu during this “frank” meeting.
She called on him to reach a ceasefire and hostage release agreement with Hamas to end the war triggered by the Palestinian movement’s attack on Israel on October 7.
“As I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is time to conclude this agreement,” she said.
Mme Harris also called for the creation of a Palestinian state, which the Israeli prime minister opposes.
A speech that contrasts with the image of great cordiality displayed by Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day.
Speed up negotiations
US President Joe Biden has asked the Israeli prime minister to work to reach a ceasefire “quickly” in the tenth month of the war in the Gaza Strip.
The two leaders, who have a notoriously complicated relationship, were keen to display their closeness in front of the cameras during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House.
The meeting took place just four days after the sensational announcement that Mr Biden, 81, was withdrawing from the campaign for the November presidential election.
“I want to thank you for these 50 years of work in public service and support for the State of Israel,” the Israeli leader said, adding: “I look forward to working with you in the months to come.”
The US president has shown strong support for Israel since the start of the conflict but has become increasingly critical as the number of civilian casualties in Gaza has risen.
He now wants to put pressure on Mr Netanyahu in the hope of reaching a ceasefire agreement in the devastating war in Gaza, triggered by a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
“The president will reiterate to Prime Minister Netanyahu that he believes we need to reach an agreement and we need to do it quickly,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
“We can reach an agreement, but it will require, as it always does, leadership and compromise,” he added.
While the two men have met often, this is the Israeli prime minister’s first visit to the White House under Biden.
The leaders then met with families of American hostages held in Gaza, who described the meeting as “productive.”
Meeting with Trump
To conclude his trip across the Atlantic, Mr. Netanyahu will travel to Florida on Friday at the invitation of Donald Trump, whom he thanked at length in his speech to elected officials in Washington.
On Thursday morning, the former Republican president urged Israel to quickly “end” its war in Gaza, warning that its global image was being tarnished.
“We have to end this quickly. This can’t go on any longer. It’s been too long,” he told Fox News.
During his lengthy address to Congress, Republicans loudly applauded Mr. Netanyahu, while more than 60 Democratic lawmakers, including former ” speaker » Nancy Pelosi, boycotted her speech.
They condemn his conduct of the war, which has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths – more than 39,100 according to the latest count by the Hamas government’s Health Ministry – and a humanitarian catastrophe.
Demonstrators gathered outside the White House on Thursday to protest the Israeli leader’s visit. The day before, thousands of people took to the streets of the American capital.