Democrats 'risk losing' election for backing Israeli war on Gaza, Lebanon: US journalist

By Press TV Website Staff

The Democrats have “risked losing” the upcoming US presidential election by supporting Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon while hoping “they can win despite that,” says an American journalist.

In an interview with the Press TV website, Richard Eskow, a veteran journalist and host of the TV and radio show ‘The Zero Hour’, said the ongoing wars on Gaza and Lebanon have “affected all.”

“Polls show that Democrats are losing many votes among both Arab-American and Muslim-American voters, especially in critical states like Michigan,” he noted in an email interview.

“There hasn’t been enough polling of young or minority voters on this issue, but experience suggests that losses are also likely there.”

As the high-stakes US presidential campaign nears its conclusion, Republican and Democrat contenders are polling neck and neck ahead of the November 5 election.

Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris each bring distinct approaches to major national issues, yet both have staunchly supported Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza which has already claimed more than 43,300 lives, most of them children and women.

Harris, who has served as vice president under Joe Biden since 2021, has faced angry protests during his campaign in multiple states for failing to end arms exports to Tel Aviv despite mounting evidence of them being used in Gaza and Lebanon.

Trump, on the other hand, has been unapologetically vocal in his support of the Israeli regime and its military actions in both Gaza and Lebanon.

Eskow believes that the rhetoric on the ongoing Israeli genocidal war on Gaza will be “very different” if Trump wins the election “as he is likely to cheer on Israeli attacks in ways that Harris would not.”

He said a large majority of Democratic voters want an “immediate ceasefire,” which is yet to materialize.

“They are not likely to vote for Trump, but some may stay at home instead of voting for Harris,” he said.

“The Democrats have risked losing this election to support Israeli military action and seem to be hoping they can win despite that. We’ll know soon whether they’re right,” the journalist remarked.

He said Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are “long-time allies.”

“But it’s hard to know how much actual policy would differ between Trump and Harris. Harris’ rhetoric is softer toward Palestine. But so was Biden’s, and it’s hard to see how much more support he could have given Israel over this past year—diplomatic as well as military,” Eskow told the Press TV website.

“There’s no reason to believe Harris will be much of a change from Biden, but we don’t know yet.”

On the topic of ceasefire talks, which have been unofficially delayed until after the US elections, he said the Biden Administration “pushed Israel to sign a ceasefire agreement, but Israel has balked and the US has been reluctant to pressure it.”

“The US warned Israel not to attack Lebanon but supported the attack once it happened. It seems that Israel does whatever it wants, and the US goes along in the end--Democrats as well as Republicans,” the senior journalist remarked.

“There’s no sign Israel intends to end the attacks. The only thing that might change that would be if Harris wins and signals an unexpectedly stern stance toward Israel. But she’s shown no sign she would do that.”

Eskow also warned that tensions between Iran and the US are “likely to escalate” if Trump returns to the White House.

“Trump made his intentions toward Iran clear by withdrawing from the multi-national nuclear agreement, and later with the killing of Qassem Soleimani,” he stated.

“There’s no sign that he wants direct military engagement, but tensions will probably worsen.”

He hastened to add that Trump may be “more willing” than his Democratic rival “to follow Israel’s lead should it pursue wider military confrontation with Iran.”

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