Sen. Cotton: Harris Wrong to Equate Hamas, Israeli Actions

Vice President Kamala Harris, after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was wrong to equate Hamas' attacks on Israel and the Israeli military's reaction in Gaza, Sen. Tom Cotton said Sunday.

"[She] effectively blamed Israel for civilian casualties in Gaza or for the lack of food in Gaza, but then Hamas is diverting from aid stations," the Arkansas Republican said on CNN's "State of the Union."

And by placing blame on Israel, it will make it harder to get a peace deal, said Cotton.

"It emboldens Iran and terrorist groups like Hezbollah because they believe Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will continue to put more pressure on Israel than they put on Iran and its terrorists," he said.

The United States must also not "scramble behind the scenes" to keep Israel from "retaliating appropriately" for a Saturday attack from Hezbollah that hit an Israeli soccer field, killing more than a dozen people including children, said Cotton.

When asked if he's worried that the Israeli response could escalate into a larger regional conflict involving Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Iran, Cotton said he's more worried about Iranian-backed terrorists "continuing to blow up innocent children in Israel."

Harris, in her comments after meeting with Netanyahu specified that Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7 massacres and hostage-taking, but Cotton said that she also continued with pressure on Israel and blamed the nation for civilian casualties in Gaza.

"It's Hamas that is using civilians as human shields and locating its command post and mortar firing positions at schools and mosques or hospitals," said Cotton. "Where's the condemnation for this heinous attack by Hezbollah yesterday … Kamala Harris and her campaign have still not said anything to condemn Hezbollah for that attack."

He added that he saw Harris "up close" while they were both on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and she remains now what she was then: a "San Francisco liberal who cannot keep this country safe" if she's elected president.

But with her and Biden in office, "everything has gone to hell and it will be much worse under Kamala Harris," said Cotton.

"She wants to ban private health insurance," he said. "She wants to ban fossil fuel production. She wants to ban guns … she makes Joe Biden look competent and moderate by contrast."