Harris confronts Democratic divisions over Gaza war in convention speech

WASHINGTON (AP) — With anger over the war in Gaza simmering, Vice President Kamala Harris tried to defuse one of the most divisive issues within the Democratic Party on the biggest political stage of her life.

Her remarks Thursday night in her speech accepting the party’s presidential nomination hewed closely to previous statements on the conflict, which began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

Harris said she “will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself.” She’s opposed restrictions on arms sales to Israel.

Then Harris pivoted to the destruction that Israel has caused in Gaza, where 40,000 Palestinians have been killed.

“So many innocent lives lost,” she said. “Desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking.”

Harris said she was working with President Joe Biden on a cease-fire deal that would also release hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, a step toward helping Palestinians “realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination.”

Such a deal has been elusive despite pressure from the White House. Biden and Harris spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, while the Democratic National Convention was underway.

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Harris addressed the conflict in a similar way last month after meeting with Netanyahu in Washington, offering no concrete changes from Biden’s strong support of Israel but increasing the rhetorical emphasis on the needs of Palestinians.

Harris hopes to alleviate divisions over the war within the Democratic Party. However, she also risks disappointing activists who want her to explicitly change course and stop sending weapons to Israel that have been used to kill Palestinian civilians.

Protests over the war did not derail the convention as some Democrats had feared. Organizers did not gather the tens of thousands that they wanted, and outbursts in the United Center were rare and overshadowed by the party’s excitement over Harris’ nomination.

However, there was still no shortage of reminders of dissatisfaction with the war. Uncommitted delegates, representing Democratic primary voters who didn’t back a candidate in protest over the war, held a protest outside the United Center when convention organizers declined requests to have a Palestinian American speaker on stage.

They pointed out that the parents of an American hostage were given the opportunity to speak.

“We are Democrats. We are a part of this party. And we are just saying, ‘Hear us because it matters,’” said Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri, who is nearing the end of her term in Congress after losing her primary earlier this month.