Former aides from Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign are revolting against her for purportedly being too pro-Israel, urging the vice president to “seek an immediate ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas, according to Politico.
Following Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, the Biden administration has pledged the United States’ support of the country, offering to provide Israel with whatever aid it needs during its war. In the latest criticism of the administration for allegedly being too pro-Israel, the aides’ draft letter calls Israel’s war against Hamas a “genocide,” Politico reported Tuesday.
“We must mourn the tragic loss of Israeli life targeted by Hamas,” the letter reads, according to the outlet. “However, we must firmly and unequivocally reject the Israeli government’s exploitation of these deaths to stage a retaliatory and genocidal campaign against civilians.”
A digital billboard welcomes US President Joe Biden to Israel on October 18, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Biden and his administration have made it clear their support is behind Israel throughout its war: the president traveled to Israel to demonstrate this commitment and gave a rare Oval Office address announcing an aid package that would fund both Israel and Ukraine during their respective conflicts. While in Israel, Biden announced the United States would be giving $100 million in aid to Gaza and the West Bank for Palestinian civilians. (RELATED: Dems Praise Biden’s ‘Cognizant’ Israel Response: ‘This Is A Man That Does Not Seem Demented’)
The White House’s unwavering commitment to Israel has come under fire by some Democrats who worry the administration has tied itself too close to the country and will be responsible for how it carries out its attacks. Young Democrats are threatening to withhold their vote from Biden in 2024 because they believe he has not shown enough support of Palestinian civilians.
“If you care about affecting policy, the best way to do that is to run for office yourself instead of putting the vice president in a difficult position to just get a story out of it,” an unnamed Harris 2020 alum who opposes the letter told Politico.