Netanyahu reportedly upset with Harris over VP’s Israel remarks as White House pushes back
Reports say Netanyahu is worried that what Harris said publicly could threaten a hostage and cease-fire deal
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The White House on Friday is pushing back against reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is upset with Vice President Kamala Harris over her remarks on the war in Gaza that he believes could jeopardize a hostage and cease-fire deal — with one aide telling Fox News, "I don’t know what they’re talking about."
The reported diplomatic flare-up comes after Netanyahu met with both President Biden and Harris in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, ahead of his meeting Friday with former President Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. An Israeli official told Axios that Netanyahu was unhappy with Harris mentioning civilian deaths in Gaza and the "dire humanitarian situation there."
The official added that, in their view, Netanyahu was irked with Harris speaking about a hostage and cease-fire deal as a way to end the war outright, when Israel wants to be able to resume fighting after one is implemented.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"When our enemies see the U.S. and Israel are aligned, it increases the chances for a hostage deal and decreases the chances for a regional escalation," the Israeli official told Axios. "When there is such daylight, it pushes the deal further away and brings a regional escalation closer. We hope that Harris' public criticism of Israel won't give Hamas the impression that there is daylight between the U.S. and Israel and, as a result, make it harder to get a deal."
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Vice President Kamala Harris and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appear before a meeting in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House complex in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. (AP/Julia Nikhinson)
One Israeli official also said to Axios that "Harris' statement after the meeting was much more critical than what she told Netanyahu in the meeting."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But an aide for Harris told Fox News on Friday morning, "I don’t know what they’re talking about.
"President Biden and Vice President Harris delivered the same message in their private meetings to Prime Minister Netanyahu: it’s time to get the cease-fire and hostage deal done. And this is what the Vice President said publicly as well," the aide said.
Activists cheer as they burn flags and a puppet of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
"The public comments tracked with her previous comments on the conflict. She started with underscoring rock-solid support for Israel and then expressed concern about civilian causalities and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as she always does," the aide added. "The meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Vice President Harris was serious and collegial."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In her remarks Thursday, Harris said she told Netanyahu that she "will always ensure that Israel is able to defend itself, including from Iran and Iran-backed militias such as Hamas and Hezbollah."
"I also expressed with the Prime Minister my serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians. And I made clear my serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation there," she continued.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It is time for this war to end, and end in a way where Israel is secure, all the hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can exercise their right to freedom, dignity and self-determination," Harris also said, adding that "thanks to the leadership of our president, Joe Biden, there is a deal on the table for a cease-fire and a hostage deal" and "as I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is time to get this deal done."
Former Trump national security aide John Ullyot told 'FOX & Friends First' on Friday that Harris’ remarks have shown she has "taken over from Biden."
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks following her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. (AP/Julia Nikhinson)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It is clear that what happened with Kamala Harris is that number one, she has her hand now firmly on the tiller. There is no question — she was the only one who made a [on-camera] statement," Ullyot said. "Bibi met with Biden and he also met with Harris, but Harris is the only one who walks out, she got the flags behind her. She is definitely pushing her agenda now and she has taken over from Biden. But look, the policies are the same."
Fox News' Sarah Tobianski contributed to this report.