Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Thursday appeared on CNN to endorse the Biden administration for its handling of issues such as the economy and the war in Gaza. She also justified her shift in stance on key issues such as migration and the environment, saying that although her “values remain intact”, her experience has given her new perspectives.
When asked if she would change her policy of sending weapons to Israel to the way Biden has done, the vice president responded with an emphatic “no” and focused on the ceasefire talks in Gaza.
Following nearly 11 months of conflict, Harris expressed concern once again about the situation in Gaza and admitted that “too many innocent Palestinians” have died. Her “clear and firm commitment to defend Israel” was reiterated, though, and she emphasized that “Israel has the right to defend itself” and that it matters how it does it.
The US vice president promised that “Israel must be secure, and likewise, Palestinians must have security, self-determination, and dignity.” She also reiterated her commitment to advancing toward a two-state solution starting on October 8. Throughout the battle, President Biden has likewise stood by this position. In addition, Harris stressed the need to reach an agreement and expressed her focus on securing the release of the remaining hostages and achieving a ceasefire.
The US vice president, who has indicated that her position has evolved since her candidacy for the Democratic nomination in 2019, said that, if she becomes president, she would not ban fracking, because she believes it is possible to develop a “prosperous clean energy economy.” “The climate crisis is real and urgent. My position on this matter is absolutely clear,” she stressed.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a technique used to extract gas that involves injecting high-pressure water combined with other compounds into underground rock formations to release hydrocarbon reserves. The method has generated opposition among progressive sectors because of the dangers it poses to the environment.
Regarding immigration, Harris has said that the United States “has laws that must be followed and enforced,” highlighting that she is the only candidate in the race with experience prosecuting international criminal organizations, pointing to her career as California attorney general.
She also used the interview to blame her presidential rival Donald Trump for border security problems, highlighting his opposition to a bipartisan border security bill crafted by lawmakers from both parties, including Republicans. It should be noted that Trump has focused most of his attacks on the Biden administration’s management of the border between the United States and Mexico, making the issue one of his main strategies since his election defeat.
Harris will take on Trump directly in the debate on September 10 on the US network ABC.
The Prisoners Club reported today that Israeli police and army have detained more than 10,300 Palestinians in the West Bank since violence broke out in the region in October last year.
In a statement, the group indicated that the figure includes 355 women, 720 minors and 96 journalists, 50 of whom are behind bars.
They stressed that at least 23 detainees, originally from the West Bank, have died in the Levantine nation’s prisons in the past 11 months.
The Club pointed out that this figure does not include thousands of prisoners in the Gaza Strip as a result of the military offensive, which led to more than 42,000 deaths and 93,000 injuries there.
They stressed that the ongoing arrest campaigns have been accompanied by a rise in crimes and violations, such as beatings and threats against prisoners and their families, as well as the large-scale destruction of homes, confiscation of vehicles, money and jewelry.
This week, the Commission for Prisoners and Former Prisoners’ Affairs condemned a rise in torture and abuse in Israeli prisons in recent months.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories warned that testimony from free Palestinians confirms that more than a dozen of these facilities have become a network of torture camps.