The Washington Post: Harris’ trusted aide will play a key role in determining Israel policy

According to Isna, the Washington Post wrote about the approach of Philip Gordon, assistant and national security advisor to Kamala Harris, to the US Vice President regarding the Gaza war: Even before the start of Israel’s ground attack on the Gaza Strip in late October, Gordon was concerned that neither Israel’s military strategy nor No key parts of the planned US response are failing.

A person close to him, who asked not to be named, said Gordon was worried that the only way to achieve Israel’s goal of completely destroying Hamas would be to destroy Gaza with it, with all the human tragedy that would entail. He did not believe that the US government could influence Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he had previously faced during Israeli-Palestinian peace talks a decade ago.

Gordon is expected to become White House national security adviser if Kamala Harris wins, whose previously underreported personal views have been largely in line with Harris’s, according to several people close to him. These two factors have combined to shape Harris’ statements at many turning points in the war, offering clues as to how he might change US-Israeli policy if he wins the presidency.

According to several people familiar with Harris’ thinking, he will likely conduct a thorough analysis of US-Israeli policy to determine what is working and what is not, with Gordon leading the effort. It’s unclear what the outcome will be, but those familiar with the conversations between Harris and Gordon say he could be open to imposing conditions on aid to Israel, a policy President Joe Biden has largely rejected.

The Washington Post stated that “Biden has taken steps on the basis of which Harris can pursue such a policy” and wrote: The Gaza war, which began on October 7 and has so far led to the death of more than 40,000 Palestinians, has created deep divisions between created by the Democrats. Harris has also faced pressure from activists to depart from Biden’s Israel policy since the Democratic Party’s nomination in the November presidential election, but he has so far resisted, especially since he is still his running mate.

But if he sits in the Oval Office of the White House, he can set his own course. And as he formulates his foreign policy, Gordon has become one of his closest and most trusted advisers, helping him on everything from West Asia to the war in Ukraine.

However, since Kamala Harris has not detailed her foreign policy, she is expected to continue Biden’s approach if she wins on many fronts, including supporting Ukraine against Russia, pushing back against China’s assertiveness and trying to Creating international alliances.

Allies and analysts say the only area where Harris is likely to differ from Biden is on Israel. People familiar with his views believe that despite his apparent support for Biden’s position, his comments and concerns about the Gaza war in private circles indicate he is ready to directly challenge Israel.

“The best thing to change is in the Middle East, because they know what’s not working,” said Ivo Dalder, a former US ambassador to NATO who has known and worked with Gordon for decades. There is ample evidence that the Harris and Phil administrations want to take a fresh look at how we approach our overall Middle East policy, a policy that is now abundantly clear must have a final stand for the Palestinians at its core.

Referring to Kamala Harris’s work experience as a prosecutor, the Washington Post wrote: According to Harris’ aides and relatives, her views on foreign policy are determined by her background as a prosecutor. He often focuses on whether countries adhere to international humanitarian law and the “rules-based order,” an approach that can be particularly harsh in the case of Israel.

According to the American newspaper, this legal approach has taken away many of Harris’s most notable comments on the war, including the assertion that Tel Aviv has the right to defend itself “but how” and the statement that “there is no excuse for allowing “There is no more aid to Gaza”.

However, the details of how Washington’s policy on the region has changed under Harris remain unclear. Of course, this depends to a large extent on whether the war against Gaza will continue or not. Several West Asia veterans have warned that changing the US approach to Tel Aviv could be politically difficult.

What is clear is that if Harris wins the White House, Gordon is likely to have more influence on foreign policy than Biden’s aides. According to many current and former White House officials, Biden came to the presidency with more than 50 years of experience in foreign policy, including as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and is confident in his judgment.

Biden has been steadfast on some issues, including his unwillingness to block aid to Tel Aviv or allow Ukraine to further attack Russia, to the frustration of some aides. Having a knowledgeable and self-assured president can be an asset, they say, because it helps provide clarity and direction, but it also carries risks.

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