Whatever This Was, It Was Not a Plea for Genocide

As a supporter of the one democratic state in the Middle East, I wish I could say that this former advisor to presidential candidate Bernie Sanders understands what Kamala Harris is saying. But I cannot.

In response to a straight forward question about whether America has any influence to prevent Netanyahu’s crimes, Harris just keeps repeating that America is committed to helping Israel “defend itself.” This is a genocidal ideology that should be resisted. https://t.co/HmuLm3Of2c

— Briahna Joy Gray (@briebriejoy) October 6, 2024

In this interview, the Vice President states 

When we think about the threat that Hamas, Hezbollah present, Iran, I think it is without any question our imperative to do allow Israel to defend itself against these kinds of attacks.

There is no need for Gray to fear, or even quarrel with, this remark. Harris seems to have no problem with Israel defending itself against attacks, as occurred following October 7, 2023. However, she did not say how Israel should "defend itself" against attacks nor whether Israel should launch any pre-emptive action. 

Moreover, the Vice President cited "the need for humanitarian aid, the need for this war to end, the need for a deal to be done which would release the hostages and create a ceasefire." That is not support for a "genocidal ideology." In fact, Harris did not advocate demilitarization of Gaza or the elimination of Hamas, the terrorist organization which set out one year ago today to kill as many Jews as possible. That, oddly enough, is not the "genocide" which Gray claims is occurring in the Middle East.

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have told us more than once that Israel has a right to "defend itself." That concession to our only reliable ally in the region is no concession at all. Every nation has a right to defend itself. The questions what constitutes a "defense" and how the defense it carried out.

We cannot know for sure how Harris would answer those questions. I interpret her comments in a manner to mean something quite different than does Brianha Joy Gray. It's very difficult to read the tea leaves, which is probably the Vice President's intention in striving to become President, in the absence of which those views won't matter

In what shouldn't have to be explained but evidently does, Israel has by far the most powerful military in the region, believes its very existence is threatened, and would have wiped out the Muslims of Gaza and of the West Bank if it chose the way of genocide. It has not, and repeatedly putting "Israel" or "Zionists" in the same sentence with "genocide" won't change that reality.

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