Since Kamala Harris entered the 2024 presidential race, the media has highlighted the alleged differences between her and Joe Biden’s rhetoric around Gaza, speculating about how she might differ from her current boss when it comes to the war on Gaza. They have noted a more “empathetic” tone toward Palestinians and a more “forceful” tone toward Israel.
[Originally published at communistusa.org]
But according to her own words and actions, Harris will not stop US imperialism’s backing of Israel. As one of her advisors perfectly summed it up: “The difference is not in substance, but probably in tone.”
Cynical posturing
Harris recognizes that the Biden administration’s support of Israel has alienated many would-be Democratic voters, and her softer tone is an attempt to placate them ahead of the election. But if elected, she will continue to enact the same fundamental policies as Biden.
Both major parties and their politicians are funded and controlled by the capitalist class, which uses them to carry out its aims. In the case of Israel, this means maintaining a strong outpost for American imperialism in the Middle East through continually funding its bloody war machine.
Her “tone shift” is all the more cynical for this reason: while giving the impression of caring about the suffering of Palestinians, she will do nothing meaningful to actually stop it.
“Unwavering commitment”
During Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to the US in July, Harris, along with many senators, chose not to attend his address to Congress as a symbolic gesture of disapproval of his brutal war on Gaza.
While giving the impression of caring about the suffering of Palestinians, Harris will do nothing meaningful to actually stop it / Image: Ali Hamad, Wikimedia Commons
But she did meet with Netanyahu personally during the visit, and the true essence of her attitude toward the Zionist state was evident in her summary of their meeting:
"I will always ensure that Israel is able to defend itself, including from Iran and Iran-backed militias, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
"From when I was a young girl collecting funds to plant trees for Israel to my time in the United States Senate and now at the White House, I’ve had an unwavering commitment to the existence of the state of Israel, to its security, and to the people of Israel."
She goes on to say that she expressed “serious concern” to Netanyahu about the deaths and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering. And I will not be silent.”
This is truly blood-boiling hypocrisy. Expressions of concern and acknowledgement of suffering mean absolutely nothing and will not do one iota to end the inhumanity of Israel’s war.
Netanyahu has not and will not change his actions based on expressions of “serious concern.” For months, he has been criticized by a litany of world leaders and charged with crimes by international legal institutions, yet nothing has changed.
Doubling down on arming Israel
A few days after her meeting with Netanyahu, an aid again confirmed that “The Vice President’s support for Israel’s security is ironclad.”
Concretely, “ironclad” support for Israel means arming Israel to the teeth. The US provides 68% of Israel’s weapons imports, and the Biden administration has sent $6.5 billion worth of military equipment to Israel since October 7 of last year.
Cutting off the flow of arms is the one thing that could actually stop Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza, but there is no chance of Harris actually doing this. Harris has supported Biden over Israel at every step over the past ten months, and her team recently doubled down on her commitment to keep Israel supplied with what it needs to keep murdering Palestinians.
After leaders of the Palestinian activist group Uncommitted National Movement claimed that Harris was open to discussing their demand for an “arms embargo” on Israel, a Harris advisor quickly released a statement clarifying that she will “always ensure Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups. She does not support an arms embargo on Israel. She will continue to work to protect civilians in Gaza and to uphold international humanitarian law.”
Only the organized working class has the power and incentive to shut down the transfer of weapons to Israel / Image Al Jazeera English, Twitter
This has long been the strategy of the ruling class—claiming to care about “protecting civilians” and “upholding international law” in words—while actively providing military support with the justification that it is intended only for legitimate “self defense.” This is exactly the same strategy that Harris will continue to carry out if elected.
Only the working class can end the slaughter
Harris hopes to appear more balanced on Gaza than Biden, while ensuring her donors and the Democratic party establishment that if elected, she will continue her “unwavering commitment” to Israel and not change anything fundamentally.
Does this mean the Republican alternative is any better? Not at all. Netanyahu also met with his old friend in July at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump glowed with support for his fellow gangster. And what about RFK, Jr.? He is also a die-hard supporter of Israel—which he considers a “moral nation”—and has no compunctions about letting the slaughter continue unabated.
All of these candidates and their parties serve the interests of the American capitalist class, and the politicians within these parties cannot be trusted to put the suffering of the Palestinians ahead of their class interests, no matter what rhetoric they use. Only the organized working class has the power and incentive to shut down the transfer of weapons to Israel. The American working class must be organized in its own party, independent of the imperialist war mongers, to actually end the US-backed war on Gaza.