James Lynch writes for National Review Online about disturbing comments from a recent Kamala Harris campaign appearance.
Vice President Kamala Harris expressed sympathy for the perspective of an anti-Israel heckler who interrupted a campaign event and falsely claimed that a “genocide” is taking place in Gaza.
Harris recently spoke to students during a campaign stop at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where a protester interrupted her speech.
“And in genocide, right? Billions of dollars in genocide you invested in?” the male demonstrator yelled after Harris mentioned how “invested” she is in the students.
“I respect your right to speak. I’m speaking right now,” Harris replied, repeating her go-to catchphrase for interruptions. She added: “I know what you’re speaking of. I want the cease-fire. I want the war to end.”
The keffiyeh-clad protester continued to shout about the “genocide” until security appeared to escort him out of the event.
“Listen, what he’s talking about, it’s real. It’s real. That’s not the subject that I came to discuss today, but it’s real, and I respect his voice,” Harris said as the protester left the venue.
The protester seems to have been referencing the billions of dollars of aid the U.S. has provided Israel for its military campaign against Hamas following the terrorist group’s October 7, 2023, massacre of Israeli civilians and its capture of hundreds of hostages. American citizens were among those whom Hamas fighters slaughtered or took hostage.
The Gaza-casualty figures the protester cited — announced by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which progressive activists frequently cite — are unverified. The figures do not distinguish between innocent civilians whom Hamas puts into the cross fire and the Hamas fighters and operatives killed during the war. Analysts have disputed the veracity of the numbers because of how quickly they come in and the linear trajectory of the death count.