US Vice President Kamala Harris stated that there must be a clear differentiation between the Israeli government and the Israeli people during an interview with CBS on Saturday.
In light of US President Joe Biden's State of the Union address and comments on Israel, Harris echoed the President's policy statements during the interview such as immigration and the border crisis, TikTok bans, and the US's policy on Israel's war with Hamas.
The Vice President began by stating that the administration has been "Very open about how we feel about it" when referring to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Her statements on a potential ceasefire reflect ones made by the Biden administration and urged to "Get the hostages out and humanitarian aid to go in."
Harris spoke about the horrors of October 7, lamenting on Hamas's massacre of southern Israel, including the "Young people attending a concert, women horribly, horribly abused and raped, rape being used as a tool of war."
Simultaneously, she called the images coming out of Gaza "horrific."
Distinguishing between the Israeli government and the Israeli people
As the Biden administration and Netanyahu's right-wing government have been at odds in recent weeks, in some of her most outspoken remarks about Netanyahu, Harris stated that there must be a clear differentiation between the Israeli government and the Israeli people.
Kamala Harris: “I think it’s important for us to distinguish, or at 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.” pic.twitter.com/arAlC7Opnp
— Philip (@rulesbasedworld) March 9, 2024
"It's important to distinguish and to not conflate the Israeli government with the Israeli people. The Israeli people are entitled to security, as are the Palestinians, in equal measure. Our work as the United States is to do what we must, and what we always have, is stand for the security of Israel and its people, and also to do what we have done behind closed doors as in public, forcing a better path forward in terms of what is happening now in Gaza."
When discussing the future of the region with CBS, she said, "We need a two-state solution, and frankly, we've been working every day since October 8 towards that end."
Harris expanded on Biden's remarks during the State of the Union, with rising concerns about the developing humanitarian crisis, stating that "Far too many Palestinian civilians, innocent people have been killed. Israel has to do better on that issue and needs to allow more aid to get in. We need a ceasefire over the course of six weeks to be able to facilitate support getting in for these innocent civilians who so desperately need it. It is a humanitarian catastrophe, as I have said, and it must be addressed."