The Democratic Party’s units have been brought under the light by Benjamin Netanyahu’s attend to Washington because of the conflict in Gaza.
After Joe Biden’s departure from the presidential race, the presumed Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris, inherits a socially thorny topic. Since the Hamas problems in October 2023, the president has been plagued by this problem.
Harris will have to strike a tricky balance between defending the performance of an management in which she still serves and explaining how she would graph a unique path for Israel and Palestine.
In democratic lines, the evil president’s report on the subject and her choice to not rule over Netanyahu’s talk in Congress have stoked hope that she may take a tougher stance toward Israel. Such a change may be necessary to persuade pro-Palestinian voters who are dissatisfied with Biden to support her in November.
Vice leaders frequently cross the party line when it comes to international politics. However, Harris has spoken out exceedingly openly about US policy toward the Middle East. In December, for instance, she delivered a discourse in Dubai after meeting with leaders of many Arab states. She expressed concern about the severity of the anguish experienced by Gaza’s citizens in the conversation.
She did restate the Biden administration’s place regarding Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas. She added that “international charitable rules may be respected,” which implies that Israel’s behavior was at risk of deviating from that standard. ” As Israel defends itself, it matters how”, she said.
Harris became the first senior administration official to visit for an “immediate stalemate” in March. She was again strong in her condemnation of the Jewish administration’s handling of the charitable aspects of its combat, which had led to “inhumane conditions” in Gaza.
Harris made the statement:” Our popular society compels us to act. We must act. Our strong society compels us to act.” She urged Netanyahu’s administration to “do more to considerably improve the flow of support.” No mistakes”.
Honestly, according to normal political theory, Harris will have a difficult time putting together any agreement between her and Biden to win the November election. The US consumer is said to know much, and treatment less, about foreign affairs. But, when most people enter polling stalls, it is kitchen-table problems – inflation, interest rates and immigration – that determine who wins their vote.
In fact, between 10 % and 20 % of Americans rate any foreign policy issue as the most pressing issue facing the nation. Citizens are three times more likely to be concerned with financial problems.
The pro-Palestinian presentations on university campuses earlier this year and the ones in Washington this year may thus exaggerate the significance of a topic that only appeals to a small minority of people.
Leadership elements
However, recent research suggests that these figures may be a false reflection of how people evaluate political individuals. In reality, voters tend to worry less about certain issues than whether a applicant has the appropriate personal traits to be a successful commander-in-chief.
Harris’s remarks regarding the conflict may enable her establish a broader reputation as a leader who is willing to defend specific principles on the international stage, such as the necessity of upholding international laws and protecting human rights. This would be in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s location.
Trump and Biden repeatedly demanded that Israel “finish the job” without additional limits from Washington during their now-infamous 2024 conversation in June, and they showed no sign of concerns about the way Israel pursued its conflict with Hamas.
This is crucial because we are aware that while foreign policy does not play a significant role in polling, it has been shown that if voters are given a choice between individuals, it will have an impact on elections.
The alternative in 2024 is between a member who is determined to defend the rules-based global order and one who has a track record of undermining it, according to Harris and Trump’s posts on Israel.
There is also a straightforward scientific justification for why this may question in November. The results of this year’s presidential poll are likely to be in a few states, with great margins.
These include Michigan, where more than 100, 000 younger voters and Muslim Americans demonstrated their frustration with the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict in Gaza by casting “uncommitted” votes in the country’s Democratic primary in February. This in a state that Trump won in 2016 by just 11, 000 votes ( but lost in 2020 ).
The place Harris takes on Gaza might be enough to tip the scale in these must-win tribes, even if foreign policy changes only a few seats on a national level.
Where does this keep Joe Biden?
Assuming he does not bow to pressure from Republican critics calling for his departure, Biden will also serve as commander-in-chief for another six weeks. President in the final years of office must also consider the political calendar when making decisions about war and peace, as I’ve already stated in a new book.
Like many of his successors, Biden is likely to switch to international policy as a means of cementing his reputation. A tempting scenario might become reached regarding a ceasefire in Gaza. If the leadership were able to broker a deal between Hamas and Israel before the vote, it would also benefit Harris by lessening the impact of a contentious social problem.
Biden ( belatedly ) aims to become the transitional president he once promised to be after stepping aside in favor of his vice president. On Israel, he may indeed be the last of his sort.
Harris might serve as a bridge between the Democrat leadership of the Biden generation, who has a strong personal connection to Israel, and a younger generation of progressives who are much more open to criticizing the Jewish government’s policies.
Andrew Payne teaches at City University of London on international policy and safety.
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