Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) pressed her fellow Senate candidates on Middle East policy during Monday's debate and urged Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) to support a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. I urged them to do so. he refused to do.
Lee called Israel's military operation in Gaza “counterproductive to Israel's security” and said the conflict “could spiral out of control.”
“I voted against Iraq.” [War] Authorization”, Lee Said. “I said it then, and I say it now, it can get out of control,” Lee said. “You see what's going on. It's escalating in the region. We have to make sure that national security is also protected. The fact is that this war is escalating and Arab countries are As we withdraw, what can we do? We have no path to Israeli security, no path to Palestinian statehood.”
The topic has sparked heated debate among the top four candidates in the Senate primary, including Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Republican candidate Steve Garvey.
Mr. Lee and Mr. Porter both support a ceasefire, but Mr. Schiff and Mr. Garvey reject it.
The Israel-Hamas war began in October after Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 Israelis in a surprise attack on a border settlement. Since then, Israeli military operations in Gaza have killed more than 25,000 Palestinians.
“I don't see how you can ask any country for a ceasefire when your own citizens are being held by a terrorist organization,” Schiff said.
“In my opinion, it is not incompatible with human nature to grieve the loss of both innocent Palestinians and innocent Israelis,” he added. “We cannot leave Hamas, which rules Gaza. They are still holding more than 100 hostages, including Americans.”
All three Democrats also emphasized their support for a two-state solution in the region, with Lee directly criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for saying he would not support a Palestinian civilian government in Gaza.
The Biden administration has continued to pressure Netanyahu toward a two-state solution, but so far to no avail.
Garvey declined to elaborate on his response on the conflict, saying the political situation in Israel makes a two-state solution unsustainable “for generations to come” and calling hopes for a diplomatic solution “naive.”
Monday's Los Angeles debate marked the first time the four Senate candidates faced off before the March 5 primary. The top two vote-getters in the March 5 primary will advance to the general election, regardless of party.
Mr. Schiff is leading in early polls, with a 9-point lead over Mr. Garvey in a Politico/Morning Consult poll last month. Butler and Porter trailed Garvey by two and five points, respectively.
The race is aimed at finding a permanent replacement for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who died in October. Sen. LaFonza Butler (D-Calif.) was appointed to the seat, but she announced she would not run for office.
The bottom line is that the primary will probably be the most expensive ever.Data shows Porter and Schiff are the top two fundraisers in the Senate for the 2024 cycle. Federal Election Commission data, which have collected $22 million and $21 million, respectively, as of October. Ms. Lee raised $3.4 million during that period, but Ms. Garvey has not yet reported any funding.
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