In call with Jewish supporters, Harris vows not to condition aid to Israel

"Joe has made it clear he will not tie security assistance to any political decisions that Israel makes, and I couldn't agree more," Harris said in a virtual event held with Jewish donors.

By OMRI NAHMIAS
US Senator Kamala Harris in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 14, 2019 (photo credit: REUTERS/MIKE SEGAR/FILE PHOTO)
US Senator Kamala Harris in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 14, 2019
(photo credit: REUTERS/MIKE SEGAR/FILE PHOTO)
WASHINGTON – US Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will not condition aid to Israel if he is elected, Sen. Kamala Harris, his vice presidential running mate, said Wednesday.
“Joe has made it clear he will not tie security assistance to any political decisions that Israel makes, and I couldn’t agree more,” she said in a virtual event held with Jewish donors.
“As vice president, Joe Biden helped ensure unwavering support for Israel’s security,” Harris said. “During the Obama-Biden administration, he was a key advocate in securing support for life-saving technologies, which I have seen.”
She cited the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow systems and credited Biden for helping shape the $38 billion memorandum of understanding that was signed in 2016.
“I pledge to you the Biden-Harris administration will sustain our unbreakable commitment to Israel’s security, including the unprecedented military and intelligence cooperation pioneered during the Obama-Biden administration and the guarantee that Israel will always maintain its qualitative military edge,” Harris said.
Doug Emhoff, her Jewish husband, participated in the call along with Florida Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch.
Asked about the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, Harris said: “Let me be clear: We will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, period. We will continue to ensure that Israel has the unbreakable support of the United States.”
She praised Biden for taking “historic steps as vice president to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.” The sanctions imposed by Obama and Biden eventually brought the Iranians to the negotiations table, “which paved the way for the JCPOA and prevented a nuclear-armed Iran,” she said.
“That nuclear deal, as we all know, blocked Iran’s pathways to a nuclear weapon, and it was working, as was verified by international inspectors and the US intelligence community,” she added.
Regarding President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the agreement, Harris said Iran was currently “revving up its nuclear activity and becoming more provocative.”
“I serve on the Intelligence Committee, and I believe that we are more isolated than ever from our allies and that we need help for us to meet this challenge,” she said. “The Trump administration took the issue of the arms embargo against Iran to the [UN] Security Council recently, and only one other country [the Dominican Republic] voted with us.”
“I think it’s fair to say this ‘America First’ approach has been America alone, which is not in our best interest or in the interest of our allies,” Harris said. “Our administration will hold Iran’s government accountable and rejoin a diplomatic agreement if Iran comes back into compliance. And we will work with our allies, of course, to strengthen the Iran deal and push back Iran’s other destabilizing actions.”


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