Trump and Harris Agree: More Bombs for Israel
On stage last night during the presidential debate, as the war on Gaza grinds on, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump battled over who had the most pro-Israel and anti-Iran credentials. After a brief moment of hope that Harris might offer something different to American voters, this seemed to confirm a grim status quo: No matter who is elected president, the U.S. will remain deeply invested in structures of violence and repression across the Middle East.
Harris’ Commitment to Supporting Israel
On Israel, Harris spent time during the debate stating her commitment to helping Israel “defend itself,” which is Harris-speak for a continued blank check of U.S. military support for Israel. This oft-repeated Harris position, now enshrined on her campaign website, undermines the hope that many Democratic voters might have had for a future Harris administration that would prioritize an end to Israel’s war in Gaza.
Trump’s Attack on Harris’ Pro-Israel Stance
Trump tried to outflank Harris from the right by claiming that Harris “hates Israel” and that she would destroy the country. In one of Trump’s many ridiculous statements of the night, he argued, “If she’s president, I believe that Israel will not exist within two years.” Harris responded by doubling down on her pro-Israel bona fides: “I have my entire career and life supported Israel and the Israeli people.”
Harris’ Sympathy for Palestinians in Gaza
Harris did mouth words of sympathy for Palestinians in Gaza, declaring once again that “far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed.” She went on to say, “This war must end, it must end immediately and the way it will end is we need a ceasefire deal and we need the hostages out.”
The U.S. Military Hegemony in the Middle East
U.S. military hegemony in the Middle East rests upon three relationships: the alliance with Israel, alliances with the oil monarchies of the Gulf, and hostility toward Iran. These three relationships reinforce each other and keep the U.S. locked into permanent military involvement across the region. That’s why Israel in particular often pushes for U.S. conflict with Iran. Without U.S.-Iran hostilities, more Americans might question whether the U.S. needs an alliance with Israel.
Shared Determination to Use U.S. Military Power Against Iran
In their debate last night, both Harris and Trump also underlined their shared determination to use U.S. military power against Iran. Harris stated, “I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself in particular as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel.” Trump again attacked from the right, blaming President Joe Biden and Harris for being weak with regards to Iran.
The Silence on U.S. Alliances with the Gulf Monarchies
What the silence on this topic means today is that the Trump and Harris campaigns are likely in agreement on maintaining close U.S. alliances with Saudi Arabia and the other oil monarchies of the region, a policy that has been almost as destructive to human life as the U.S.-Israel alliance.
The Biden-Harris Administration’s Expansion of the Abraham Accords
At the heart of this reality is an ugly fact that many Democrats don’t want to acknowledge. The Biden-Harris administration has implemented and worked to expand upon a core Trump foreign policy: the Abraham Accords. These agreements marginalized Palestinians by securing diplomatic recognition between Israel and several of the monarchies in the region, like the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco.
Biden’s Push for Mutual Recognition Between Saudi Arabia and Israel
Biden’s push to expand upon Trump’s Abraham Accords by securing formal Saudi recognition of Israel would amount to the final nail in the coffin for Arab governments’ solidarity with Palestinians. This was likely a key factor in Hamas’s foolish and ugly decision to attack Israel on October 7.
In conclusion, last night’s presidential debate ultimately revealed, despite all their differences on domestic policy, just how similar both candidates are on policies that maintain U.S. military dominance over the Middle East and perpetuate the bloody status quo.