(MENAFN- Live Mint) US Election 2024: Pro-Palestine voters, including Arab-Americans in the US, are steering a challenging landscape in the US presiden . Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris faces scepticism from some sections of pro-Palestine voters who feel the Biden-Harris administration has not done anything to help end the war in Gaza and scale back aid to Israel.
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Kamala Harris has endorsed policies that sanction arms to Israel as part of this administration. This creates a dilemma for pro-Palestine voters, who may view her actions as contradictory to their values. While Harris has attempted to address issues of equity and justice, her alignment with Joe Biden's policies may alienate those who seek a more vocal stance on Palestinian rights.
The question remains: has Harris managed to carve out her identity separate from Biden's approach, or will she be seen as an extension of an administration many pro-Palestine advocates criticize?
What does Kamala Harris think of the Israel-Palestine war?
Democrat Kamala Harris made her final appeal for the U.S. presidency at a historically Black church. She addressed Arab Americans in battleground Michigan on Sunday, while her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, resorted to violent rhetoric during a rally in Pennsylvania.
Opinion polls indicate a close race, with Vice President Harris, 60, receiving strong backing from female voters, while former President Trump, 78, is making gains among Hispanic men, Reuters reported.
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On July 31, Harris firmly dismissed the idea of imposing an arms embargo on Israel as it continues its ongoing military actions in the Gaza Strip.
"I'm unequivocal and unwavering in my commitment to Israel's defense and its ability to defend itself, and that's not going to change," Harris said during her first interview since she became the Democratic nominee for president.
"I assert today that Israel has a right to defend itself . We would do the same, and how it conducts that defense is important." When asked if she would support any changes to US policy regarding military assistance, Harris responded flatly,“No.”
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Earlier on August 8, Vice President Harris' National Security Advisor Phil Gordon said on X that Harris does not support an arms embargo on Israel.“VP has been clear: 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. She will continue to work to protect civilians in Gaza and to uphold international humanitarian law,” Gordon added.
In the Sept. 10 presidential debate, Harris said,“I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself, in particular as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel.” Moreover, she has a relatively standard pro-Israel voting record from her time in the Senate.
As reported by the University of Florida's Election Lab, over 77 million Americans have already cast their ballots ahead of Tuesday's Election Day. This is nearing half of the 160 million votes cast in 2020, which saw the highest voter turnout in over a century.
The control of Congress is at stake on Tuesday, with Republicans expected to secure a majority in the Senate, while Democrats are viewed as having a reasonable chance of flipping the narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives. Over the past decade, presidents whose parties do not control both chambers have faced significant challenges in passing major legislation.
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Later, in a rally in East Lansing, Michigan, Harris addressed the state's 200,000 Arab Americans, starting her speech with a nod to civilian victims of Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“This year has been difficult, given the scale of death and destruction in Gaza and given the civilian casualties and displacement in Lebanon, it is devastating. And as president, I will do everything in my power to end the war in Gaza,” Harris said to applause.
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Samah Noureddine, 44, a Lebanese American from Grosse Ile, a town near Detroit, said she voted for Biden in 2020 but was casting a ballot for Jill Stein of the Green Party this year. "I'm upset because Harris is funding the genocide and if we get Trump we're going to suffer too," she said.“I'm sick of both of them”, Reuters reported.
How does Trump see the West Asia conflict?
Trump frequently portrays himself as "the best friend Israel has ever had." On September 5, he shared a video on his Truth Social account with the caption, "NO PRESIDENT HAS DEFENDED ISRAEL AND JEWISH AMERICANS MORE THAN DONALD J. TRUMP." He claimed to be the most "Pro-Israel president in U.S. history," someone the Jewish community can rely on.
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While speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas on the same day, Trump criticized the Biden-Harris administration for allegedly placing blame on Israel for recent deaths and asserted that“the October 7th attack on Israel would never have happened if [he] were President.” He said this sentiment during his 10 September presidential debate against Harris.
What to expect in the Israel-Palestine war if Trump gets elected?
According to a report by Middle East Institute, Trump has pledged that if elected, he would“settle and fast” the conflict in the Middle East, though he has offered few specifics on how he plans to achieve this. When asked about Palestinian statehood during the June 2024 presidential debate, Trump replied,“I'd have to see.”
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According to a report by the Washington Post in September, Trump told Benjamin Netanyahu in a call earlier,“Do what you have to do,” as relayed by six sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information. Trump has publicly confirmed that he and Netanyahu have spoken at least twice in October, with one call occurring as recently as October 19.
In July 2024, Trump advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to“do what you have to do” and“finish up the war,” while also cautioning him about the negative impact on Israel's public relations caused by graphic videos of death and destruction emerging from Gaza. This echoed his earlier comments from April, in which he stated that Israel is“absolutely losing the PR war.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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