US VP Harris urges President Biden to be 'tougher' on Netanyahu, sparks tensions: Report

United States Vice President Kamala Harris has reportedly become the cause of tensions in the White House.As per reports, President Joe Biden's second-in-command has been urging him and other colleagues to show more sensitivity to the plight of Palestinian civilians, as the death toll in Gaza continues to mount.

A push for sympathy

As per a Politico report, Harris has been telling her colleagues that she wants the White House to publicly be sensitive and show more concern about the humanitarian damage in Gaza.

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The publication reports that in internal conversations about the Israel-Hamas war, Harris has expressed her belief that the US should be "tougher" on Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

She has called for being "more forceful at seeking a long-term peace and two-state solution," said one person.

Harris has reportedly also argued that the US should start making "day after" plans for when the war ends, leaving behind wreckage.

The source of this information, as cited by Politico, is "three people familiar with Harris' comments".

Differences between Biden and Harris?

There are longstanding differences in perspective between Harris and Biden, reports Politico. However, Kirsten Allen, Kamala Harris'press secretary, clarified that "there is no daylight between the president and the vice president, nor has there been".

Allen said that the two are aligned and "have been clear: Israel has a right and responsibility to defend itself; humanitarian aid must be allowed to flow into Gaza; innocent civilians must be protected; and the United States remains committed to a two-state solution."

She also cautioned the media "about citing anonymous sources in the ‘orbit’ about sensitive national security conversations between the president and vice president that take place in the Oval Office."

Since the beginning of this war on Oct 7, the US has repeatedly made mention of its support for Israel's right to defend itself, and spoken up about a rise in antisemitism. However, as per a Washington Post report from last month, in October, Harris had urged Biden to condemn Islamophobia along with antisemitism.

Since then, the US has grown increasingly willing to criticise Israel's "indiscriminate bombing" of Gaza, with Biden even calling on the Netanyahu government to "change" its methods.

(With inputs from agencies)