Advisors close to Vice President Kamala Harris have denied that she has expressed openness to halting arms transfers to Israel, a key demand from pro-Palestinian groups seeking a significant shift in U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. In a social media post on Thursday, Harris’ National Security Advisor, Phil Gordon, dismissed the rumors and emphasized that Harris will always ensure Israel can defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups.
“@VP has been clear: she will always ensure that Israel is able to defend itself. She does not support an arms embargo against Israel. She will continue to work to protect civilians in Gaza and uphold international humanitarian law,” Gordon stated.
This latest incident raises questions about the extent to which Harris might break with President Joe Biden regarding the conflict in Gaza, where pro-Palestinian activists are pushing for changes that go beyond merely increasing rhetorical focus on Palestinian suffering.
Rumors of Harris possibly considering an arms embargo arose after she briefly spoke with activists from the Uncommitted Movement, a pro-Palestinian group that has been sharply critical of U.S. policy in Gaza. In a video posted on social media on Thursday, Layla Elabed, co-founder of the Uncommitted Movement, claimed that Harris indicated she would be willing to meet with the group to discuss their demand to halt arms transfers to Israel.
“I’m meeting with community members [in Michigan] who are losing family in Gaza. I asked [Harris], ‘Will you meet with us to talk about an arms embargo?’” Elabed said. “And Kamala Harris nodded. She responded, ‘Yes, we will meet.’”
Harris has attempted to position herself as empathetic towards civilians in Gaza, where Israel’s military campaign has resulted in nearly 40,000 deaths, and has faced accusations of torture from human rights groups.
“We can’t look away from these tragedies,” Harris stated after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering, and I will not be silent.”
However, pro-Palestinian activists, many of whom have relatives who have been killed in Gaza, believe that a change in tone does not equate to an end to the robust diplomatic and military support that has been central to Israel’s military efforts.
“It is precisely because the current White House policy allows bombs to flow unconditionally to Netanyahu that he has been emboldened in his fight against civilians,” said the Uncommitted Movement in a statement responding to Gordon’s comments. “We found hope in Vice President Harris’ expression of openness to meeting on an arms embargo, and we look forward to continuing the dialogue because the people we love are being killed by American bombs.”