Kamala Harris: Neither Biden nor Trump pressured Israel enough

Former US Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday criticized both the Biden administration, in which she served, and the Trump administration for failing to exert sufficient pressure on Israel during the war in Gaza. Speaking at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul, South Korea, Harris argued that Washington should have used its influence over Israel earlier and more aggressively to restrict its military operations. “Most recently, the failure to use our leverage to curtail the Israeli government’s horrific conduct in the war in Gaza, both under the current administration, which offers [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu a blank check, and our administration before, where we should have acted sooner and more forcefully," Harris said, according to JNS . Her comments included criticism of former President Joe Biden's handling of the conflict, despite Harris having served as his vice president throughout his administration. The remarks come as Harris considers another campaign for the White House. She has confirmed that she is actively weighing a presidential bid in 2028. Harris has previously criticized Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including over the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. In April, she accused Netanyahu of drawing President Donald Trump into the war, arguing that American involvement had contributed to rising fuel prices. "Trump entered a war - and he got pulled into it by Bibi Netanyahu, let's be clear about that - that the American people didn't want. Among the many consequences of it is jacking up the price of gas," Harris said at the time. Her statements on Israel also drew controversy during the 2024 presidential campaign. At an October 2024 campaign event at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, an anti-Israel heckler accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. After the protester was removed from the venue, Harris appeared to acknowledge his accusation, telling the audience that the issue “was real." “Listen, what he’s talking about, it’s real. That’s not the subject that I came to discuss today, but it’s real and I respect his voice," she said. Harris's latest criticism of Israel prompted a response Wednesday from the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), which highlighted several of her previous statements and positions concerning the Jewish state. The RJC said Harris's latest remarks were “unsurprising", citing several previous statements and actions that it argued demonstrated her longstanding criticism of Israel. The RJC recalled an incident ten days after the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, when an audience member at a Harris event accused Israel and the United States of genocide. According to the organization, Harris responded to the individual by saying, “I appreciate your leadership". The group also criticized Harris for declining to attend Netanyahu's address to Congress, instead attending a sorority luncheon, and accused her of failing to support legislation intended to combat the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. It further cited her opposition to Israeli military operations in Rafah, noting that Israeli forces subsequently located and rescued hostages in the area. The RJC also pointed to a 2021 incident in which a student accused Israel of "ethnic genocide" and Harris responded, “Your truth cannot be suppressed".