Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated her support for Israel, while declining to comment on potential waning power the U.S. has over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a preview to Harris’s interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, she touched on the U.S.-Israeli relationships. The interviewer, Bill Whitaker, laid out moves Netanyahu made against the request of President Joe Biden, to which Harris reiterated her support for Israel without much comment on Netanyahu’s defiance.
“The aid that we have given Israel allowed Israel to defend itself against 200 ballistic missiles that were just meant to attack the Israelis and the people of Israel,” Harris said.
“And when we think about the threat that Hamas, Hezbollah, presents, Iran, I think it is without any question our imperative to do what we can to help Israel defend itself from those kinds of attacks,” Harris continued.
She then touched on diplomatic efforts between the Biden administration and the Israeli government. She said the diplomatic work is an “ongoing pursuit around making clear our principles, which include the need for humanitarian aid, the need for this war to end, the need for a deal to be done, which would release the hostages and create a ceasefire.”
“We’re not going to stop putting that pressure on Israel and in the region, including Arab leaders,” Harris said.
To that, Whitaker said it seemed as though Netanyahu was not listening to the U.S. requests.
“The work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by, or were a result of, many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region,” Harris said.
“Do we have a real close ally in Prime Minister Netanyahu?” Whitaker asked in response.
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“I think the more important question, with all due respect, is do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people? And the answer to that question is yes,” Harris responded.
The full 60 minutes interview will air Monday. Former President Donald Trump will not be featured on the show after his team rebutted accusations he pulled out after previously agreeing.
