During a recent interview, Vice President Kamala Harris was asked whether she considered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be a “real, close ally,” but instead of answering, she sidestepped the question.
The question came during Harris’s recent interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes,” which shared a preview clip of her interview that is scheduled to be released this week.
“I think, with all due respect, the better question is, do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people? And the answer to that question is yes,” Harris said after being asked the question.
The question comes as many worry about a potentially larger conflict in the Middle East almost a year after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that resulted in the death of 1,200 Israelis and sparked a war in Gaza.
While the Biden administration has supported Israel in its efforts against Hamas and now Hezbollah, both President Biden and Vice President Harris have said that a ceasefire is the best option.
In the days after Biden dropped out of the presidential race, Harris met with Netanyahu, telling him that she could not ignore the tragedy also facing the Palestinian people.
“We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering — and I will not be silent,” Harris told him publicly.
During his United Nations speech last month, Biden appeared to share a similar sentiment, telling world leaders that “Innocent civilians in Gaza are going through hell.”
While talking with “60 Minutes,” Harris also addressed whether or not Washington still held influence over its ally.
“The work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region,” Harris said.
The full interview is expected to air in an election special on Monday.