Detroit: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated her call for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict on Saturday, emphasizing the importance of capitalizing on the recent killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a key figure behind the October 7 attacks.
Acknowledging the obstacles that lie ahead, Harris expressed her commitment to pushing for an end to the conflict. “This creates an opening that I believe we must take full advantage of—to dedicate ourselves to ending this war and bringing the hostages home,” she stated.
She added, “As it relates to the issues in the Middle East and in particular in that region, it has never been easy. But that doesn’t mean we give up. It’s always going to be difficult. We can’t give up.”
When asked about the potential impact of Arab American and Muslim anger regarding U.S. support for Israel’s ongoing actions in Gaza and Lebanon on her re-election prospects in Michigan, Harris sidestepped the question. However, she emphasized the importance of acknowledging the tragic loss of innocent lives. “I speak publicly all the time about the fact that there are so many tragic stories coming from Gaza,” she said, also referencing the initial Hamas attack on Israel.
“What’s critically important as we look at this moment is… acknowledging the tragedy of what has happened in Gaza, in terms of the extraordinary number of innocent Palestinians that have been killed, and taking that seriously and speaking truth about that,” she continued.
With just 17 days remaining until the November 5 election, Harris finds herself in a tight race against former President Donald Trump in key battleground states like Michigan. To mirror President Joe Biden’s victories in 2020, she will need strong support from the predominantly non-white cities of Detroit and Atlanta, both of which have significant Arab American and Muslim populations. Trump won Michigan by a narrow margin of 11,000 votes in 2016, while Biden defeated him by 155,000 votes in 2020.
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On Friday, Harris received endorsements from 50 prominent Lebanese Americans, who commended the Biden administration’s steadfast support for Lebanon and expressed hope for continued backing if Harris is victorious in November. This endorsement comes amidst ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon, which have reportedly resulted in over 2,350 fatalities over the past year, according to the Lebanese health ministry, with more than 1.2 million people displaced.
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Hezbollah’s actions have led to the deaths of 50 Israeli soldiers and civilians, according to Israeli sources. In Gaza, the aftermath of the October 7 attack, which claimed around 1,200 lives and took another 253 hostages, has seen Israel’s military response result in the deaths of over 42,500 people, as reported by Palestinian officials.
