An Israeli official who spoke with the Times of Israel on 26 July said Harris’ televised comments following the meeting with Netanyahu were harmful to ongoing ceasefire and exchange negotiations, suggesting that the vice president’s statements could embolden Hamas.
“What is Hamas supposed to think when it hears this? I hope it won’t lead to regression in the talks because we’ve made a lot of progress. We are on a path of cooperation and closing gaps. But that is why Harris’s press conference was so problematic,” the official said.
Following the meeting on Thursday, Harris said in televised comments that she urged Netanyahu to conclude a ceasefire deal – vowing her commitment to Israel’s security and to end the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.
“It is time for this war to 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. And as I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu it is time to get this deal done. Let’s get the deal done,” Harris said.
“So we can get a ceasefire to end the war. Let’s bring the hostages home. And let’s provide much-needed relief to the Palestinian people,” she added, expressing concern over the massive civilian death toll in Gaza.
Harris also stressed to reporters after the meeting that the only way forward is a two-state solution, something which has been repeatedly rejected by Tel Aviv – including in a most recent Knesset vote completely rejecting a Palestinian state.
Israeli officials cited by Axios on 26 July said Netanyahu and his team were taken aback by the tone of Harris’ televised comments, which they said were different than what she told the prime minister during the meeting.
“Netanyahu was unhappy with the fact that Harris criticized Israel publicly for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and for killing civilians, especially at the current timing amid the hostage deal negotiations,” Axios reported. Netanyahu was also annoyed with Harris’ call for an end to the war, Israeli officials told the outlet.
This was Harris’ first meeting with a foreign official since her presidential campaign began. Netanyahu met with Biden for several hours before his meeting with the vice president.
According to a White House readout, Biden and Netanyahu discussed the ceasefire negotiations in detail. The US president “expressed the need to close the remaining gaps, finalize the deal as soon as possible, bring the hostages home, and reach a durable end to the war in Gaza.”
The White House said Biden pressed Netanyahu on the humanitarian situation and aid entry into the besieged strip.
He also “reaffirmed the US ironclad commitment to Israel’s security against all threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.”
The meetings came the same day as a Reuters report citing western and Egyptian officials as saying that the changes Israel is imposing on the current ceasefire and exchange proposal are “complicating talks.”
As announced in Netanyahu’s speech earlier this month, in which he listed a number of “non-negotiables” for the ceasefire talks, the prime minister is demanding a mechanism for inspecting displaced Gazans returning to the north of the strip.
Netanyahu has referred to this displaced population as “armed terrorists.” He claims that military-aged male civilians who would return to the north as part of a deal are Hamas militants or could support Hamas in the strip.
The premier is also insisting that Israeli forces remain along the Gaza–Egypt border, including the Rafah crossing and the vital Philadelphi Corridor seized by the army in May. Egypt has said that Israel’s continued presence there is outside the framework of the current proposal being negotiated.
As he confirmed in front of the US Congress, Netanyahu insists on the right to continue the war, bring back captives forcefully, and achieve the goal of “eradicating” Hamas.
Hamas is still holding fast to its terms, a permanent ceasefire and full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
“Netanyahu is still stalling. There is no change in his stance so far,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.
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