Speaking at the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Thursday, Harris addressed tens of thousands of party members, stating, “I will always defend Israel’s right to defend itself, and I will always make sure that Israel has the ability to defend itself.”
She emphasized, “Let me be clear, I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself,” highlighting that Israelis should “never again” experience the horror and “unspeakable” attacks of October 7.
Harris acknowledged the devastation in Gaza over the past ten months, expressing sorrow for the loss of innocent lives and describing the scale of suffering as heartbreaking. She advocated for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of Israeli captives.
Harris also mentioned her collaboration with President Joe Biden, saying they are working “to end the suffering of the Palestinians” and stressing the importance of “their right to self-determination.”
“President Biden and I are working to end this war so that Israel is safe, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can obtain their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination,” she stated.
The US administration’s unconditional support of the Israeli war on Gaza has sparked divisions within the Democratic Party, with some party leaders expressing concern about losing the votes of many voters who oppose the war.
US Weapons
The US government is set to provide Israel with $3.5 billion to purchase American weapons and military equipment amidst its ongoing war on Gaza which has already killed more than 39,000 Palestinians.
On August 10, the State Department “notified Congress of our intent to obligate $3.5 billion in FY 2024 Foreign Military Financing using funding provided by the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act,” a spokesperson told the Anadolu news agency.
Citing multiple officials, CNN first reported that the funds came from the $14.1 billion supplemental funding bill for Israel that the US Congress passed in April.
The funding “is essentially money Israel can use to buy advanced weapons systems and other equipment from the US through the Foreign Military Financing program,” the report stated.
It was released this week, the report added, as Israel and the Middle East were bracing for a potential attack “from Iran and/or Hezbollah” after Tel Aviv assassinated Hamas’ political chief in Tehran and a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut.
International Law Violations
Several human rights groups and former State Department officials have urged the Biden administration to suspend arms transfers to Israel, citing violations of international law and human rights.
Twelve former US officials, including former State Department officials Josh Paul, Annelle Sheline, Stacy Gilbert and Hala Rharrit, said in a statement last month that “America’s diplomatic cover for, and continuous flow of arms to Israel has ensured our undeniable complicity in the killings and forced starvation of a besieged Palestinian population in Gaza.”
Earlier this month, a group of 38 independent human rights experts called on UN Member States to impose an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on Israel following the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) recent landmark ruling.
The experts called for an arms embargo, an end to all other commercial that may damage the Palestinians, and targeted sanctions, including asset freezes, on Israeli individuals and entities involved in illegal occupation, racial segregation and apartheid policies.
Ongoing Genocide
Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 40,265 Palestinians have been killed, and 93,144 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.