Jewish Democratic lawmakers defend Harris’ record on Israel and antisemitism
‘The VP has been a staunch ally to the Jewish people and the State of Israel,’ Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 17: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gives remarks on conflict-related sexual violence at an event in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on June 17, 2024 in Washington, DC. Harris attended the event with activists and administration officials to speak before the screening of the documentary film “Screams Before Silence,” which details Hamas’ sexual violence perpetrated during the October 7th attack in Israel. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
As endorsements poured in for Vice President Kamala Harris from Capitol Hill on Sunday, prominent pro-Israel lawmakers supporting Harris defended her record on Israel and antisemitism, amid questions about whether she would take a more critical stance than President Joe Biden.
“The VP has been a staunch ally to the Jewish people and the State of Israel. She’s committed to Israel’s security, pointed a bright light on the crimes of sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7th and continues to work towards a deal to secure a release of the hostages,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) told Jewish Insider. “I have every confidence that she, along with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, will continue those efforts, and maintain the historic work of President Biden to enact a first-ever National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.”
Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC), who chairs the House antisemitism task force, told JI that Harris “has shown strong support for Israel since her time in the U.S. Senate, when she voted for unprecedented support for Israel’s security needs.”
“She has continued that strong support as our vice president. As she stated in her remarks on Israel’s 75th anniversary: ‘At the core of the U.S.-Israel relationship is America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel. This commitment endures not only because it is in America’s strategic interest, but because it is the right thing to do,’” Manning continued.
She also said she’d been “honored to work with [Harris’] husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, on the fight against antisemitism,” and tied the vice president to the administration’s national strategy on antisemitism.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), in an appearance on Fox News, sought to tie Biden’s policy on the issue to Harris.
“It’s the Biden-Harris administration, the Biden-Harris record on Israel,” he said. “If you listen to progressives, they hate the Biden-Harris record on Israel… And so as a supporter, I know they’ve gotten a lot of criticism, but their record on Israel and antisemitism has been pretty good.”
When pressed on the differences between Harris’ public comments and Biden’s, including stronger criticism of Israel, Moskowitz said, “people were serving different roles, obviously. I think you’re going to see Democrats be support[ive] and soon-to-be President Harris support Israel, our No. 1 ally in the region.”