Vice President Kamala Harris expressed solidarity with protesters demanding an end to Israel’s attack on Gaza when she came face to face with a protester who accused the United States of being complicit in genocide and said he was right.
Her words will appeal to critics who accuse her of siding with America’s enemies, but they also illustrate the complexity of a Middle East crisis spiraling out of control.
The moment is revealed in a newly released video of his visit to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Thursday, which was closed to the media.
Harris was telling the students that she was committed to them when a protester intervened.
‘And in genocide, right? Billions of dollars in genocide? the activist said, according to the clip posted by a pro-Palestinian student group.
Harris said she respected his right to speak but was in the middle of a speech and wanted a ceasefire, a statement that drew applause from her audience.
Campus police detained the keffiyeh-clad man.
‘But what about genocide? But what about the genocide?’ he shouted as he left.
And he added: ‘42,000 people are dead. 19,000 children have died. And you will not call it genocide.
Harris turned to his audience when calm was restored and said: ‘Listen, what he’s talking about, it’s real. That’s not the topic I came to discuss today, but it’s real and I respect your voice.’
Harris has never used the term “genocide” to describe the military attack on Gaza following the October 7 attack on Israel.
However, he has repeatedly expressed concern about the levels of civilian casualties and has recently stepped up his calls for Israel to allow more aid into the Palestinian enclave.
‘The UN reports that no food has entered northern Gaza in almost two weeks. “Israel must urgently do more to facilitate the flow of aid to those in need,” Harris posted on social platform X.
Vice President Kamala Harris is under pressure from the left of her party to do more to rein in Israel and an attack on Gaza that has killed more than 40,000 people over the past year.
He has had to navigate complicated political territory. President Joe Biden has remained close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as his forces attack the Gaza Strip and many other world leaders have demanded an end to the attack.
That has caused problems for Harris as she tries to hold together the support of Muslim Americans and Jewish voters.
X’s critics were quick to attack the presidential candidate for her response, with one saying, “Harris can’t hide her true colors.”
Another said: “Harris doesn’t like our most important ally, Israel.”
And on Saturday in Detroit, when asked if he could lose the election because of the anger felt by Arabs and Muslims, as well as supporters of the Palestinian cause, over the civilian deaths in Gaza, he responded by reiterating the brutality of the Hamas attack. against Israel.
“The first and most tragic story is that of October 7,” he said.
