Vice President Kamala Harris has reportedly changed her stance on the US’s relationship with Israel, as a House Democrat claims she would support conditions on American aid to the Jewish state if she wins the November election. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said he had been pushing Harris to attach conditions to aid for Israel, which is currently at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Vice President has publicly affirmed Israel’s right to self-defense but has privately discussed an arms embargo on Israel with anti-Israel groups.
Khanna told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that he had been pushing Harris to support the enforcement of US law, namely the Leahy Law and other security laws that require aid not be unconditional. In 1982, President Reagan called up Menachem Begin in Israel and said the US would not give aid in a way that would cause humanitarian crises. Khanna stated that there needs to be pressure on both sides of the conflict to end the war, and he is glad the Vice President is open to a new direction.
Harris has made clear she will always ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself from Iran and Iran-backed terrorists like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. She has a lifelong commitment to the security of Israel and will never leave the country unable to defend itself. However, the Vice President’s stance on Israel has led to concerns among Muslim Americans. A poll conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations found that Harris had just 29% support among Muslim Americans in the 2024 election.
The potential flip-flop comes after a poll conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations this month found that Harris had just 29% support among Muslim Americans in the 2024 election, tying even with Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. In her first media interview last week as the Democratic presidential nominee, Harris said she would not have a change in policy but implied that Israel’s actions could have an effect on whether the US would withhold any aid. She is now open to imposing conditions on military aid to Israel, sources recently told the Washington Post.
The Leahy Laws, named for former Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), prohibit US funding from going to units of foreign nations’ militaries or security forces that have committed gross human rights violations. The International Criminal Court sought arrest warrants in May for war crimes allegedly committed by both top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Hamas leaders. However, Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken swiftly denounced the “outrageous” move.
