Kamala Harris Tries to Walk Back ‘Open’ Statement on Arms Embargo on IsraelJoel B. Pollak 8 Aug 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign issued a statement Wednesday evening to walk back a statement she made earlier in which she said she was open to talking about an arms embargo on Israel in exchange for votes in Michigan.
As Breitbart News reported:
Vice President Kamala Harris indicated Wednesday that she would be open to discussing an arms embargo against Israel in exchange for the support of the so-called “uncommitted” movement of Muslim and Arab voters in Michigan.
The New York Times reported:
Before her rally in Detroit, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke briefly with the co-founders of the Uncommitted National Movement, which mobilized tens of thousands of voters in Michigan to withhold their votes from President Biden in the primary earlier this year over his support for Israel’s war in Gaza. Abbas Alawieh and Layla Elabed said they were in the welcoming line for Harris and Governor Walz, and communicated to Harris that they wanted to support her but that voters wanted her to consider an arms embargo to immediately stop the carnage in the besieged enclave.
Harris listened to stories of people in Michigan who have had dozens of family members killed in Gaza. The leaders asked to meet with her about the embargo request, and she indicated she was open to it, and introduced the two leaders to her staff.
Later, Harris was heckled by pro-Palestinian protesters during her speech.
Harris’s openness to an embargo was just the latest example of an anti-Israel shift in her policy. In March, she appeared to break with President Joe Biden in calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. And earlier this week, she passed over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, in deference to anti-Israel Democrats, who opposed him.
In an attempt to tamp down the controversy, Harris’s campaign issued a statement on Wednesday evening (via Yashar Ali):
Since October 7, the Vice President has prioritized engaging with Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian community members and others regarding the war in Gaza. In this brief engagement, she reaffirmed that her campaign will continue to engage with those communities. The Vice President has been clear: she will always work to ensure Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups. The Vice President is focused on securing the ceasefire and hostage deal currently on the table. As she has said, it is time for this war to end in a way where: Israel is secure, hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinian civilians ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, and self-determination.
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https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/08/08/kamala-harris-tries-to-walk-back-claim-on-arms-embargo-on-israel/
