Kamala Harris caps convention with call to end Gaza war, fight tyranny

Blackbeard@lemmy.world to politics @lemmy.world – 219 points –
reuters.com

On the final, and most anticipated, night of the four-day Chicago convention, Harris, 59, promised to chart a "New Way Forward" as she and Trump, 78, enter the final 11 weeks of the razor-close campaign.

After days of protests from Palestinian supporters who were disappointed at not getting a speaking spot at the convention, Harris delivered a pledge to secure Israel, bring the hostages home from Gaza and end the war in the Palestinian enclave.

"Now is the time to get a hostage deal and a ceasefire deal done," she said to cheers. "And let me be clear, I will always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself."

"What has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost, desperate hungry people fleeing for safety over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking," she said.

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That's certainly one way to describe the speech which she stated she will

"ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world.",

and that she

"will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests [Israel] against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists."

While stating she

"will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself. Because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that the terrorist organization Hamas caused on October 7th. "

She did say that, and also that there are horrors being inflicted in Gaza. Only her whole statement gives any idea what she’s talking about.

Her speech was right on both accounts though. Hamas did unspeakably terrible things in Israel. But that in no way excuses them from the suffering they are causing to civilians in Palestine.

To be honest, I expect her to back Israel, and that these words are just a way to temporarily placate the ones calling for an end to genocide. But at least she tried to broach the complexity of the situation.

She could do more. But I'll take this approach for now, knowing we can keep pushing in the direction of liberating the Palestinian people, over "finish the job" Trump.

You can keep pushing, and they can keep not listening while Palestinians keep suffering a genocide they support.

It was a pretty milquetoast acknowledgement of Israeli war crimes, without even mentioning them by name as the perpetrators. I would have hoped for at least something along the lines of:

The children of Gaza deserve better than to be trapped between a terrorist regime and an Israeli military, that, by their actions, shows that they do not value Palestinian lives as worthy of protection.

But I guess even that would have been too spicy for the pro-Israel lobby within the Democratic party. That said, I'll take any public acknowledgement and push for a ceasefire over the current status quo. Much as I wish it were possible, I don't think we're ever gonna get a major figure in any political party to come out and say, for example "Israel is an deeply unjust nation that must reckon with the status of Palestinians if it wishes to become a true, legitimate democratic state."

She did say that, and also that there are horrors being inflicted in Gaza. Only her whole statement gives any idea what she’s talking about.

Yes this is one of those platitudes. As you said, you need the full context. Considering she just said we must oppose Iran in the area (support Israel) and said she will always support Israels right to defend itself (common justification for the ongoing genocide).

The most she spoke against the genocide was

At the same time, what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost. Desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking.(Platitudes which don't even directly call out the ones carrying out a genocide)

President Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure (must secure the genocidal force!), the hostages are released (Hamas must free hostages, they could stop this! It's not Israel just being genocidal!), the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity. Security. Freedom. And self-determination. (Good but toothless considering the rest of the speech) tine.

And know this: I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists. (More support for Israel)

To be honest, I expect her to back Israel, and that these words are just a way to temporarily placate the ones calling for an end to genocide. But at least she tried to broach the complexity of the situation.

Yes she will back Israel, she made that clear. She didn't try to broach any complexity though, she defended Israels "right to defend itself" and said bad things are happening in Gaza while refusing to even name the ones responsible, then, once again, stating support for the ones responsible.

Clarification on the quote (Israel), was that actually in the quote, or subtext by you?

Actually asking

It's an addition for clarification.

I'm not saying she isn't exposing pro Israel opinions in general (edit as evidenced by your following quote) but it's important to make it very very clear that you added it. Someone could copy paste your comment taking it as a true quote, which represents misinformation.

You are correct, it should have been in brackets not parentheses I got the punctuation confused.

You comment is right there, unedited. If you should have punctuated differently, just go do that.

She basically 'both sides' that issue, which I guess is about as good as you're going to get from someone wanting to win. To be fair, Hamas does suck, and so does the situation in Gaza, and if you stop there (as undecided voters do) then that message makes sense.

Too bad when you dig just a bit deeper, it's quite hard to side with Israel, both in numbers dead and historical bullshit they've pulled. Unfortunate I don't think you'll change Dem messaging unless randos in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, etc, are willing to learn more and change their stance. That's who that language is for.

But these are people who are undecided, they're likely the least informed people on the planet earth, and that includes people in comas.