White House officials have aggressively lobbied for a six-week pause in fighting to allow hostages out and to get more aid into Gaza. Both Biden and Vice President Harris have in recent days called for an “immediate” cease-fire and argued the onus is on Hamas, the terrorist group that rules over Gaza, to accept the terms.
But there are also clear signs of strife between the White House and Israel, particularly when it comes to letting more aid into the enclave, a situation that Harris on Sunday deemed a “humanitarian catastrophe.”
“The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses,” Harris said Sunday in remarks from Selma, Ala.
“They must open new border crossings. They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid. They must ensure humanitarian personnel, sites, and convoys are not targeted. And they must work to restore basic services and promote order in Gaza so more food, water, and fuel can reach those in need.”
Harris’s remarks put the vice president at the forefront of an issue Biden has struggled with politically, causing him to lose support from progressives and other segments of the Democratic Party.
Harris on Monday also met with Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s war Cabinet and a political rival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to discuss efforts to secure a cease-fire.
Gantz was expected to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan as well, though he reportedly did not have permission from Netanyahu to do so.
The urgency around a temporary cease-fire comes after voters in Michigan sent Biden a clear message of discontent last week, with more than 100,000 voters casting a ballot for “uncommitted” to protest his pro-Israel stance.
There are similar efforts underway to cast protest votes against Biden in Super Tuesday states such as Minnesota, Colorado and North Carolina.
Public support for Israel has wavered since the start of the war, particularly among young Americans who are key to Biden’s coalition heading into November. A Gallup poll published Monday found 58 percent of Americans have at least a “mostly favorable” view of Israel, down 10 percentage points from a year ago. Among Americans ages 18-34, Israel’s favorability is down 26 percentage points.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
