Because the battle within the Center East escalates, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are each taking a break from campaigning in battleground states on Monday to memorialize the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas assaults on Israel.
Harris is scheduled to mark the day by planting a memorial tree on the grounds of the vice chairman’s residence to honor the victims of the assaults and to ship remarks to a small group of press, the White Home introduced. Trump is scheduled to ship remarks at a remembrance occasion with Jewish group leaders at his personal property Trump Nationwide Doral Miami, his marketing campaign introduced.
On Monday afternoon, Trump visited Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch — thought of a sacred website amongst Hasidic Jews — in Queens, New York, the place he had an intimate non-public go to to the Ohel, the gravesite of the Rebbe on the Previous Montefiore Cemetery, the place he was seen shaking palms with Rabbis and mingling with leaders.
Following Hamas’ assaults on Israel on Oct, 7, 2023, and Israel’s ensuing assaults on Gaza, the battle within the Center East has change into one of many prime points this election cycle. Stress for a cease-fire has created a rift inside the Democratic Occasion and Republicans are trying to capitalize on that second whereas Trump’s personal inflammatory feedback proceed to face pushback from critics.
Tune into ABC Information Stay at 4 p.m. and eight:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 7, for “Oct seventh: Race to Survive” — particular protection of the anniversary of the battle. Veteran correspondent Matt Gutman highlights voices of Israelis and Palestinians impacted by the warfare and the continuing humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
Individuals have a look at a memorial for victims of the bloody Oct. 7 cross-border assault by Hamas militants on the one-year anniversary of the assault, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct. 7, 2024.
Oded Balilty/AP
Since Hamas launched its shock terrorist assault in Israel one 12 months in the past, and Israel responded by declaring warfare, 1000’s have reportedly been killed or injured. Israel has mentioned its aim is to destroy Hamas and that it makes an attempt to reduce civilian casualties as typically as attainable. In the meantime, a humanitarian disaster has unfolded in Gaza, together with the collapse of the well being care system.
Harris, whereas stressing the alliance between the USA and Israel, has appealed to the humanitarian crises in Gaza and has repeatedly known as for a cease-fire, together with on the Democratic Nationwide Conference in August, the place she formally launched herself to the general public for the primary time because the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential race.
The Democratic Occasion is split on the difficulty because the warfare deepens with Iran’s newest assault on Israel. Though Harris has noticeably tried to string the needle in an try to bridge the ideological hole, issues stay about whether or not the Biden-Harris administration lacks affect over Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Vice President Kamala Harris throughout the Democratic Nationwide Conference (DNC) in Chicago, Aug. 22, 2024.
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg by way of Getty Pictures
In a preview clip launched forward of her interview on CBS Information’ “60 Minutes,” Harris remained aligned with President Joe Biden’s place, saying the administration is doing what they will to “enable Israel to defend itself” and that they may proceed to place “strain on Israel and within the area, together with Arab leaders” to launch the hostages and obtain a cease-fire.
She claimed the negotiations they’ve performed with Netanyahu have led to open conversations and adjustments in Israel’s strategy within the area, however dodged the query on whether or not Netanyahu is a “actual shut” ally of the U.S., saying, “the higher query is: do we’ve got an vital alliance between the American individuals and the Israeli individuals? And the reply to that query is sure.”
Trump on the marketing campaign path has made an intensive effort to court docket Jewish American voters, typically claiming that “no President has performed extra for Israel than I’ve.” Over the course of the marketing campaign, Trump has participated in Jewish-focused marketing campaign occasions with the Republican Jewish Coalition and the Israeli-American Council.
He has additionally been campaigning with main donor and vocal Israel-advocate Miriam Adelson, who’s investing practically $90 million in help of Trump within the remaining months of the 2024 normal election.
On the identical time, Trump has repeatedly sparked criticism by attacking Jewish Democrats, together with second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, claiming that Jewish People who vote for Democrats ought to get their “head examined.”
“They haven’t been your folks. I do not perceive how anyone can help them,” Trump mentioned throughout his digital remarks on the Republican Jewish Coalition annual summit final month. “And I say it continually. For those who had them to help and also you have been Jewish, it’s a must to have your head examined.”
Former President Donald Trump shakes palms with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they pose for a photograph at Mar-a-Lago property, in Palm Seashore, Fla., July 26, 2024.
Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)/Anadolu by way of Getty Pictures
Trump additionally criticized Netanyahu, saying in a TIME journal interview printed in April that the Oct. 7 assaults occurred “on his watch” and that he has been “rightfully criticized” for the assaults.
“I’ll say this, Bibi Netanyahu rightfully has been criticized for what passed off on Oct. 7,” Trump informed TIME, criticizing him once more for backing out on what was speculated to be a joint U.S.-Israel operation to assassinate a prime Iranian normal in 2020.
“It occurred on his watch,” Trump mentioned about Netanyahu and the Israel-Hamas warfare. “And I believe it is had a profound impression on him, regardless of all the things. As a result of individuals mentioned that should not have occurred. They’ve probably the most subtle tools.”
Nonetheless, Trump met with Netanyahu in July, insisting their relationship “was by no means dangerous.”
“We have had a very good working relationship. I used to be superb to Israel, higher than any president has ever been,” Trump claimed after assembly with Netanyahu.
Trump has insisted in his marketing campaign messages that the world was a safer place beneath his administration, claiming that the Oct. 7 assaults on Israel wouldn’t have occurred beneath his presidency and that international adversaries are launching assaults due to the Biden-Harris administration’s weak spot.
“Ever since Iran has been exporting terror everywhere in the world and, it has been simply unraveling, the entire Center East has been unraveling, however after all, the entire world has been unraveling since we left workplace,” Trump mentioned at a marketing campaign occasion in Waunakee, Wisconsin, final Tuesday simply after Iran launched missile assaults on Israel.
Harris additionally met with Netanyahu in July. After the assembly, she reiterated that Israel has the proper to defend itself however added, “the way it does so issues.” Harris mentioned that she talked to Netanyahu about her “severe concern” in regards to the collateral harm and struggling of Gazan civilians.
Hamas’ assaults on Oct. 7, 2023, killed about 1,200 individuals in Israel, with some 250 individuals kidnapped. And greater than 41,000 individuals have been killed in Gaza since then, based on the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Well being.
“With over 2 million individuals dealing with excessive ranges of meals insecurity, and half 1,000,000 individuals dealing with catastrophic ranges of acute meals insecurity, what has occurred in Gaza over the previous 9 months is devastating; the photographs of useless youngsters and determined, hungry individuals fleeing for security, typically displaced for the second, third or fourth time,” Harris mentioned.
