Former President Trump is stepping up his attacks on Vice President Harris on Israel, faulting her for what he says was an insulting meeting with that country’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel and Gaza is quickly emerging as a central issue in the expected presidential race between Trump and Harris, with Netanyahu’s high-profile visit to Washington and scrutiny from both parties and the outside world on whether Harris will represent a new path on U.S. policy compared to President Biden.
Trump has criticized Harris for not attending Netanyahu’s speech to a joint session of Congress this week. Harris had a scheduling conflict, and Trump’s own running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), also did not attend the speech for similar scheduling reasons.
He doubled down on that criticism in a Saturday post on Truth Social while also arguing the Harris and Netanyahu meeting this week was insulting.
“P.M. Netanyahu of Israel had a terrible and “insulting” meeting in D.C. with Kamala Harris, who also refused to preside over Congress during his speech, which is an obligation of the V.P.,” Trump wrote.
Vice presidents often preside over speeches to joint sessions of Congress, but there is no obligation to do so.
Trump argued Harris’s “ineptness” would delay the release of hostages held by Hamas while prolonging the war, and then criticized Harris over the Biden administration’s handling of Afghanistan.
Trump also said “any Jewish person that votes for Kamala, or a Democrat, should immediately have their head examined.”
Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, is Jewish. Trump has faced criticism in the past for similar statements suggesting entire ethnic and religious groups should vote for a specific party.
Harris met with Netanyahu on Thursday, urging him to get a deal done that would end the war in Gaza, which has left tens of thousands dead.
The vice president in her public remarks defended Israel’s right to self defense, but also made it clear it should take measures to reduce harm to civilians. A number of outside observers saw a shift in those comments, at least in their emphasis, from past remarks by President Biden.
“I’ve said it many times but it bears repeating, Israel has a right to defend itself, but how it does so matters,” Harris said, saying she brought up with Netanyahu “the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians.”
“What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating,” Harris said. “The images of dead children and desperate hungry people fleeing for safety, sometimes displaced for the second, third or fourth time. We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering, and I will not be silent.”
Biden has seen the Democratic Party badly divided over Israel’s war in Gaza. More than 100,000 votes in the key swing state of Michigan voted “uncommitted” in this year’s primary in a move meant to sent a message of discontent over the president’s handling of the issue.
Netanyahu separately met with Biden this week and with Trump in Florida on Friday. He told reporters outside the meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate that he wanted to see U.S.-mediated talks succeed for a cease-fire and release of hostages.
“I hope so,” Netanyahu said, when reporters asked if his U.S. trip had made progress.
Axios reported on Friday that Netanyahu was upset with Harris’s on-camera statement after their meeting, citing an Israeli official who briefed reporters.
Two Israeli officials said that while the meeting was not tense or difficult, the tone in her statement after the meeting was tougher, Axios reported.
Former national security adviser John Bolton, who served under Trump but has since become a staunch critic, said Netanyahu should be concerned about Harris’s demeanor and remarks.
“She was very icy in her demeanor, showed strong discipline there, and her words were a clear signal,” Bolton said on CNN Friday.
Democrats in Congress have been increasingly critical of Netanyahu, with dozens boycotting the address this week.
