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Trump says Kamala Harris 'hates' Israel during Presidential debate, Vice President hits back

by TRANS WORLD FEATURES | @twfindia 11 Sep 2024, 11:24 am

Former US President Donald Trump and her challenger American Vice President Kamala Harris exchanged barbs on numerous issues, including the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war and the situation in Gaza, during their fiery presidential debate ahead of the November 5 polls on Tuesday.

Speaking during the debate, Trump said he wants the war in Ukraine and Russia, which began in 2022, to stop.

He said: "I want the war to stop. I want to save lives that are being uselessly -- people being killed by the millions."

"If I win, when I'm President-Elect, and what I'll do is I'll speak to one, I'll speak to the other, I'll get them together. That war would have never happened," he said.

Kamala Harris sharply responded and said: "If Donald Trump were president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now."

She said: "Understand what that would mean. Because Putin's agenda is not just about Ukraine. Understand why the European allies and our NATO allies are so thankful that you are no longer president and that we understand the importance of the greatest military alliance the world has ever known, which is NATO."

When asked about the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, Trump said the crisis would not have started if he was still the president of the country.

"If I were president it would have never started," Trump said during the debate.

Targeting Harris, he said Israel would not remain for two years if she becomes the president.

"She hates Israel. She wouldn't even meet with Netanyahu when he went to Congress to make a very important speech. She refused to be there because she was at a sorority party of hers. She wanted to go to the sorority party. She hates Israel. If she's president, I believe that Israel will not exist within two years from now," he said.

Harris denied his 'predictions' and said: "That's absolutely not true. I have my entire career and life supported Israel and the Israeli people. He knows that. He's trying to again divide and distract from the reality, which is it is very well known that Donald Trump is weak and wrong on national security and foreign policy. It is well known that he admires dictators, wants to be a dictator on day one according to himself.'

Harris mentioned in her debate that a 'two-state' solution is needed to re-build Gaza.

She said: "I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself, in particular as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel. But we must have a two-state solution where we can rebuild Gaza, where the Palestinians have security, self-determination and the dignity they so rightly deserve."

Israel has been engaged in a conflict with Palestine ever since Hamas members attacked the nation on October 7.

The debate began with the two leaders formally handshaking but soon it turned bitter and Kamala Harris said his opponent was contesting against her and not US President Joe Biden since Trump slammed his administration during the session.

"It's important to remind the former president you're not running against Joe Biden, you're running against me," Harris said during the heated argument between the two leaders contesting for the top post in the country.