Harris in an interview with CBS refused to call Netanyahu a US ally

US presidential candidate Kamala Harris, in an extensive interview with the CBS television program 60 Minutes, touched on relations between the United States and Israel, including between the Joe Biden administration and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Journalist Bill Whitaker said: despite the fact that the United States is providing multibillion-dollar military aid to Israel, Netanyahu ignores the administration’s point of view, and his threats to Iran threaten to start a regional war. “Does the administration have influence over Netanyahu?” – he asked.

Harris stressed that US military assistance provides Israel with the ability to defend itself, including repelling 200 ballistic missiles fired by Iran. “When it comes to Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, we must ensure that Israel can defend itself,” she said.

According to her, at the same time, a diplomatic dialogue continues in which the United States defends its principles: the need to end the war, deliver humanitarian aid, and conclude an agreement that will ensure the return of hostages home. “We will not stop pressuring Israel on these issues,” Harris said, adding that this pressure has led to progress in the situation.

Whitaker asked his interlocutor whether Netanyahu was a close ally of the United States. To this, Harris replied: the much more fundamental question is whether the American and Israeli people are close allies. “And the answer to this question is yes,” she emphasized.