Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday is hosting a member of Israel’s wartime Cabinet who is visiting Washington in defiance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Benny Gantz, a centrist political rival of Netanyahu, is sitting down with several senior Biden administration officials this week, including Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser. President Joe Biden is at Camp David, the presidential retreat just outside Washington, until Tuesday.
Quick Read
- Harris Hosts Gantz: Vice President Kamala Harris is hosting Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s wartime Cabinet and a political rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for discussions in Washington.
- Gantz’s Unauthorized Visit: Gantz’s visit to Washington, which includes meetings with several senior Biden administration officials, was not approved by Netanyahu, leading to tensions within Israel’s wartime leadership.
- Cease-fire Push: Harris plans to advocate for a temporary cease-fire deal during her meeting with Gantz, aiming to facilitate the release of hostages held by Hamas and allow for significant aid delivery to Gaza.
- Gantz’s Objectives: Gantz seeks to strengthen US-Israel ties, garner support for Israel’s war efforts, and secure the release of Israeli hostages.
- Aid to Gaza: The US has initiated a series of airdrops of aid into Gaza to supplement truck deliveries and is exploring options for sending aid via sea, following a recent incident where dozens of Palestinians were killed while trying to access food from an Israel-organized convoy.
- Calls for Increased Aid Flow: Harris has called on Israel to enhance the flow of aid into Gaza by opening new border crossings and removing unnecessary restrictions on aid delivery.
- Previous Meetings: Harris and Gantz previously met at the Munich Security Conference in 2022.
The Associated Press has the story:
Harris hosts Israeli Cabinet official Gantz in Washington despite Netanyahu’s rebuke
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP) —
Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday is hosting a member of Israel’s wartime Cabinet who is visiting Washington in defiance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Benny Gantz, a centrist political rival of Netanyahu, is sitting down with several senior Biden administration officials this week, including Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser. President Joe Biden is at Camp David, the presidential retreat just outside Washington, until Tuesday.
An official from Netanyahu’s far-right Likud party said Gantz did not have approval from the prime minister for his meetings in Washington and that Netanyahu gave the Cabinet official a “tough talk” — underscoring the widening crack within Israel’s wartime leadership nearly six months into the Israel-Hamas war.
In her meeting with Gantz, Harris plans to press for a temporary cease-fire deal that would allow for the release of several categories of hostages being held by Hamas. Israel has essentially agreed to the deal, according to a senior Biden administration official, and the White House has emphasized that the onus is on Hamas to come on board.
“Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate cease-fire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table,” Harris said during an appearance in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday. “This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in.”
Harris continued: “This would allow us to build something more enduring to ensure Israel is secure and to respect the right of the Palestinian people to dignity, freedom and self-determination.”
For his part, Gantz intends to strengthen ties with the U.S., bolster support for Israel’s war and push for the release of Israeli hostages, according to a second Israeli official. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t allowed to publicly discuss the disputes within the Israeli government.
The meetings also come as the U.S. begins a series of airdrops of aid into Gaza, just days after dozens of Palestinians were killed as they were trying to get food from an Israel-organized convoy. The first drop on Saturday included about 38,000 meals into southwest Gaza, and White House officials have said those airdrops will continue to supplement truck deliveries, while they also work on sending aid via sea.
In Selma on Sunday, Harris called on Israel to “do more to significantly increase the flow of aid.”
“No excuses,” she said. “They must open new border crossings. They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid.”
Harris previously met Gantz at the Munich Security Conference in 2022.
