Presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris’ team quickly downplayed claims that she said on Wednesday she’d be open to “discuss” an arms embargo against Israel.
The Uncommitted National Movement, a Palestinian activist group that has been vocally critical of Israel’s war in Gaza, said in a statement Wednesday that it met with Harris during her campaign rally in Detroit on the same day. The activist group said in its statement that it “requested a formal meeting with Vice President Harris to further discuss their demands of an arms embargo and a permanent ceasefire.”
“The Vice President shared her sympathies and expressed an openness to a meeting with Uncommitted leaders to discuss an arms embargo,” the group said in its statement. The members who had met with Harris “thanked the Vice President for her openness to engaging with the demands of Uncommitted voters.”
Harris has not since publicly addressed the claims made by the group or whether she’d be open to discussions about an arms embargo against Israel. As of Thursday, she had not held a single interview with reporters since July 21, when she announced her candidacy for president.
Though Harris herself has not spoken about the matter, her national security adviser, Phil Gordon, said in a statement on Thursday that she has been “clear” about the issue, claiming that “she will always ensure Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups. She does not support an arms embargo on Israel.”
The Uncommitted National Movement responded to Gordon’s statement on Thursday and maintained that Harris expressed “an openness to meeting about an arms embargo.”
Harris has mostly been in lockstep with President Joe Biden on matters relating to the Israel-Harris war and the impact it has had on Palestinians in Gaza. The Biden administration has been vocal that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is needed immediately, and recently delayed an arms shipment to Israel — specifically bombs — out of fear that their use could disproportionately impact civilian areas.
But Harris has seemingly issued stronger language about the need for a ceasefire, and reportedly privately pushed the Biden administration to be “more forceful at seeking a long-term peace and two-state solution” and “tougher” on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to three people familiar with the matter who previously spoke to Politico.
Former U.S. officials and defense experts previously told the DCNF that they were concerned that Harris was not capable of conducting proficient foreign and national security policy.
“Harris was a foreign policy and national security novice in 2021 and still is, even after a concerted effort to beef up her credentials on the international stage,” Michael Bars, former White House senior communications advisor and National Security Council official, previously told the DCNF.
The Harris campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
(Featured image credit: Screen Capture/CSPAN)
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