Kamala Harris refuses to say whether America has a “really close ally” in Netanyahu

Vice President Kamala Harris will appear on a “60 Minutes” election special on Sunday, where she carefully answers questions about the United States' relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a preview of the interview, Harris dodged a direct answer when asked by correspondent Bill Whitaker whether Netanyahu was a “really close ally.” Instead, the Democratic presidential candidate reframes the question, stating: “I think the better question is: Do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people? And the answer is yes.”

The vice president's appearance on the long-running news show is part of a broader election special highlighting key players in the upcoming presidential campaign. Notably absent from the lineup is former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee who reportedly withdrew after previously announcing his participation.

During the interview, Harris is expected to discuss the ongoing war in the Middle East, which began after a surprise terrorist attack by Hamas a year ago. The vice president will also address topics such as the economy, immigration, her record as vice president and the differences between her and Trump.

This cautious language comes at a critical time for U.S.-Israel relations, as the Biden administration has stood firmly with Israel since the October 7 Hamas attack, the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

However, Harris' rhetoric toward Israel has come under increasing criticism since she replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee this summer.

At the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago in August, Harris' support for Palestinian statehood received one of her biggest applause of the convention.

However, in her speech, the vice president reiterated her commitment to Israel's security while also addressing the human cost of the conflict. “And let me be clear: I will always stand up for Israel’s right to self-defense and will always ensure that Israel has the ability to defend itself,” she said. “For the people of Israel must never again be confronted with the horror caused by a terrorist organization called Hamas on October 7th.”

Harris also addressed the ongoing war in Gaza, describing the loss of life as “devastating” and the “scale of suffering” as “heartbreaking.” She highlighted the administration's efforts to end the conflict, stating: “President Biden and I are working to end this war so that Israel is safe, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends and the Palestinian people have their right to freedom “Security, freedom and self-determination.”

The vice president's position on the conflict has attracted the attention of various political groups. On October 4, Abbas Alawieh, co-founder of the Uncommitted National Movement, posted this message on X, formerly Twitter:

“We hear that @VP will meet with Arab-Muslim groups that support her campaign. @uncommittedmvmt is not invited, but is happy that our pressure is helping to get more engagement. What we need now is for the @VP to specifically say that as president she will respect international humanitarian law and US law and stop sending Israeli military weapons for war crimes. And we reiterate our longstanding request: Meet with Palestinian and Lebanese-American families whose loved ones were killed by U.S. bombs sent by this administrator Netanyahu.”

The organization describes itself as “fighting for a Democratic Party that represents the anti-war, pro-Palestinian majority.”

The Biden administration is actively pushing for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that would allow the release of all hostages, a position that is becoming increasingly popular within Israel itself. Recent protests in Israeli cities have criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu and the government's failure to reach an agreement on the release of hostages, highlighting growing domestic pressure on Israel's leadership.

Newsweek contacted a Biden spokesman and Harris' campaign via email Sunday for comment.

The hostage issue has become particularly urgent following the recent death of 23-year-old Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polish. His parents, U.S.-born immigrants to Israel, had become the most visible family members of hostages around the world, meeting with both President Biden and Pope Francis. Parents even addressed the DNC and received sustained applause and shouts of “Bring him home.”

In a statement, Trump blamed Biden and Harris for the hostage deaths, accused them of weak leadership and prioritizing political opponents over the lives of Americans. “Make no mistake – this happened because Comrade Kamala Harris and Crooked Joe Biden are bad leaders,” Trump declared, adding, “They have blood on their hands!”

The “60 Minutes” election special airs Sunday, October 6 at 8pm ET/PT on CBS.