US Vice President, Kamala Harris has denounced the burning of an American flag by protesters who rallied in Washington, DC, during Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress.
She said that the demonstration featured “despicable acts by unpatriotic protesters and dangerous hate-fueled rhetoric
“I condemn any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to annihilate the State of Israel and kill Jews. Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation.”
Kamala Harris
She condemned the burning of the American flag, saying that the flag is a “symbol of our highest ideals as a nation and represents the promise of America.”
“It should never be desecrated in that way,” she added.
“I support the right to peacefully protest, but let’s be clear: antisemitism, hate and violence of any kind have no place in our nation,” Harris stressed.
Democratic House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, also condemned the flag burning in a statement.
“Defacing public property, desecrating the American flag, threatening Jews with violence and promoting terrorist groups like Hamas is not acceptable under any circumstance,” he said.
“There is a difference between lawful expression and disorderly conduct. Anyone who violates the law must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” he added.
Meanwhile, Trump suggested that those who desecrate the flag should be punished.
During a free-wheeling call to a news programme, Trump stated, “I think you should get a one-year jail sentence if you do anything to desecrate the American flag.”
He added, “Now, people will say, ‘Oh, it’s unconstitutional.’ Those are stupid people. Those are stupid people that say that.”
Trump claimed that if Congress passed a law instituting such a rule, the flag burning would cease.
The former U.S President added that Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un “[look] at us like we’re a bunch of babies.”
“It’s impossible for that to happen in their countries,” Trump said of the autocracies, adding, “We look so bad for the world, that was a disgraceful display yesterday.”
A group of House Republicans restored the U.S. flags outside Union Station in Washington, D.C., that were taken down and burned in the demonstration.
Netanyahu To Meet Biden, Harris
US President Joe Biden is set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, Thursday, July 25, 2024, a day after thousands of people protested against the Israeli leader’s visit to the United States capital amid the Gaza war.
US Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic presidential nominee in November’s election, is also expected to hold talks with Netanyahu on Thursday.
In Thursday’s meeting at the White House, which is set to begin at 1pm local time (17:00 GMT), the US President is expected to push Netanyahu to finalise a three-phase ceasefire deal with Hamas that Biden first presented in May.
“We believe we’re close. We believe the gaps can be narrowed,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in a video statement ahead of the talks.
“We believe it’s absolutely urgent to get those hostages back home with their families where they belong, get a ceasefire in place, so that we can work towards a cessation of hostilities there in Gaza,” he said.
Biden and Netanyahu will also meet families of Americans held captive in Gaza before the Israeli premier holds talks with Harris, who has been catapulted into the role of likely Democratic presidential candidate after Biden withdrew from the race on Sunday.
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