Pas zgjedhjeve në SHBA, priten ndryshime në marrëdhëniet me Izraelin

2024-07-27 19:20:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Pas zgjedhjeve në SHBA, priten ndryshime në marrëdhëniet me

Source, AP

Potential rivals in the US presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump presented different views on the war in Gaza as they met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As Voice of America correspondent Patsy Widakuswara reports, whoever wins the presidential election in November could bring about a change in US-Israel relations.

In more than 290 days since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, the Israeli army has killed more than 39 thousand people, most of them civilians, according to the data of the health authorities in Gaza.

Most of the region's population of 2.3 million have been forced to flee their homes.

"We cannot turn our eyes away from these tragedies. We cannot afford not to react to the suffering and I will not remain silent ," said Vice President Harris.

After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, US Vice President Kamala Harris made a powerful call to end the war.

She reiterated support for Israel's right to self-defense, following the October 7 Hamas attack that killed nearly 1,200 Israelis.

But Vice President Harris was much more strident in her criticism of Israel's handling of military operations than even President Joe Biden, who also met with Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday.

"Welcome again, Mr. Prime Minister. We have a lot to talk about ," said President Biden.

On Friday, attention turned to Prime Minister Netanyahu's meeting with former President Donald Trump at his Florida residence. Relations between them had cooled after the Israeli leader congratulated President Biden on his victory in the 2020 elections, as well as regarding the war in Gaza. But it appeared that the relationship has been repaired.

"If we win, it will be very simple. It will all be resolved very soon. If we don't win, we will end up with major wars in the Middle East and possibly a third world war ," former President Trump said.

He noted pro-Israeli policies during his first term, such as brokering the agreement that normalized Israel's diplomatic relations with some of its neighboring Arab countries, as well as recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Eager to win back voters angered by President Biden's staunch support for Israel, Vice President Harris may strive for a more balanced approach.

But whoever wins the election will bring about a repositioning of US-Israeli relations, with or without Mr. Netanyahu in power.

"Whoever will be prime minister will have to face a more critical approach from Democrats under Kamala Harris, as well as unpredictability under President Trump ," says Aaron David Miller, from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Polls show that the number of Americans, especially among Democrats, who are against Israel's military response to Gaza has increased./ VOA