Harris’s willingness to entertain an arms embargo, as suggested during her Detroit meeting, is not an isolated incident. Over the years, her actions and statements have consistently raised alarms about her commitment to Israel. In February 2019, when Rep. Ilhan Omar used antisemitic tropes by suggesting that American support for Israel was “all about the Benjamins” and accusing American Jews of having “allegiance to a foreign country,” Harris’s response was disturbingly tepid. Instead of unequivocally condemning Omar’s statements, Harris expressed concern that the criticism might endanger Omar, thus failing to denounce the antisemitic rhetoric within her party firmly.
Harris’s support for the
Iran nuclear deal
(JCPOA) is another contentious point. In 2015, she supported the agreement, which many critics argue empowers Iran, a significant threat to Israel. Rejoining the JCPOA aligns Harris with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, which has increasingly taken a hostile stance toward Israel. This alignment is deeply troubling for those who believe that the deal does not sufficiently prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
…
Harris’s public comments have sometimes appeared to undermine Israel’s negotiating position. In March 2024, she called for “an immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, which would have effectively provided a lifeline to Hamas.
Political opinions among Israeli Jews tend to be the inverse of those of American Jews, with Israelis tending to favor Republican candidates over Democratic ones, and in roughly the opposite proportions.
In 2020, 63% of Israelis
said
they preferred President Donald Trump, versus 19% who preferred candidate Joe Biden.