A DIVIDED PARTY
The Gaza conflict has splintered the Democratic Party, and sparked months of protests at Biden events. A drop in support among Arab Americans could hurt Democratic chances in Michigan, one of a handful of states likely to decide the Nov 5 election.
In a nod to those concerns, Harris urged Americans to help “encourage efforts to understand the complexity, the nuance and the history of the region”.
“To everyone who has been calling for a ceasefire and to everyone who yearns for peace, I see you and I hear you,” she said. “Let’s get the deal done so we can get a ceasefire to end the war.”
In an Oval Office address on Wednesday, Biden cited a desire for unity in the Democratic Party as it seeks to defeat Trump as the main reason he decided not to seek re-election but to instead support Harris for the 2024 race.
Harris maintains closer ties to Democratic progressives, some of whom have urged Biden to attach conditions to US weapons shipments to Israel out of concern for high Palestinian civilian casualties in Gaza. The US is a major arms supplier to Israel and has protected the country from critical United Nations votes.
Biden and Netanyahu met together with the families of Americans held by Hamas, who expressed hope for a ceasefire including a release of hostages.
“We came today with a sense of urgency,” said Jonathan Dekel-Chen, whose son is a captive.
