Watch CBS News

Harris and Trump's positions on Iran and Israel as tensions flare

Kamala Harris: The 2024 60 Minutes Interview
Watch Kamala Harris’ 2024 60 Minutes Interview 20:49

Washington — Before Iran's missile attack on Israel in early October to avenge the killing of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iranian officials, Vice President Kamala Harris already had to navigate a divide in the Democratic Party over the U.S. support for Israel. The conflict between Israel and Iran may not have the same impact on the presidential election as domestic issues like inflation and reproductive rights, but the next president will have to manage a delicate situation in the region as the threat of an all-out war escalates.

Republicans have pressured the Biden administration to send more security assistance to Israel and to threaten Tehran and its proxies with military ramifications. President Biden said last week he does not support a potential attack on Iran's nuclear sites by Israel. 

Former President Donald Trump blames the growing conflict on what he says is the weak leadership of Mr. Biden and Harris. Mr. Biden's answer to the nuclear site question, Trump said, should have been "hit the nuclear first and worry about the rest later." 

Here are the positions Harris and Trump have taken on Israel and Iran. 

Israel-Gaza war

Harris has touted the Biden administration's efforts to broker a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas as the Gaza war hits the 1-year mark. She has repeatedly said Israel has the right to defend itself but has also acknowledged the suffering of Palestinians. 

"We must chart a course for a two-state solution. And in that solution, there must be security for the Israeli people and Israel and in equal measure for the Palestinians," she said at the September presidential debate. "But the one thing I will assure you always, 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." 

Harris has not laid out a plan for a two-state solution. 

Earlier this year she called on the Israeli government to do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Harris' national security adviser said in August that the Democratic nominee does not support an arms embargo on Israel. Harris said in September she supported Mr. Biden's decision in May to withhold a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs from Israel amid concerns that they'd be used in Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians were sheltering after fleeing their homes.

In an interview that aired Monday on "60 Minutes," Harris was asked whether the U.S. can consider Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a close ally, in the face of his resistance to a cease-fire and his bombing of Lebanon to target Hezbollah, though the U.S. has cautioned Israel against igniting a wider war with its northern neighbor. 

"I think, with all due respect, the better question is: do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people? And the answer to that question is yes," Harris said. 

Trump has claimed that the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas would have never happened if he were president. But the former president, who has portrayed himself as a staunch defender of Israel, has criticized the Israeli government's handling of the war. In November, he said "Israel has to do a better job of public relations, frankly, because the other side is beating them at the public relations front." He also called on Israel to "get it over with." 

Trump was asked during the June presidential debate whether he would support an independent Palestinian state, to which he responded, "I'd have to see." 

As president, Trump controversially moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and ended decades of U.S. opposition to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. (The Biden administration reversed the settlement decision.) 

Iran

In the "60 Minutes" interview,  Harris was asked which country she considers to be the greatest adversary of the U.S. 

"I think there's an obvious one in mind, which is Iran," she said. "Iran has American blood on their hands."

She added that it's one of her "highest priorities" to ensure that Iran "never achieves the ability to be a nuclear power." Harris did not answer whether the U.S. would take military action if there was proof Iran was building a nuclear weapon. 

It's unclear whether Harris would seek to cut a new nuclear deal with Iran if she wins the election. During the 2020 campaign, Harris, who was running in a crowded Democratic presidential primary, said she would seek to rejoin the Iran nuclear agreement, "so long as Iran also returned to verifiable compliance."

Trump has been highly critical of the Obama-era deal, formerly known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and removed the U.S. from the international agreement in 2018. He called the 2015 agreement "disastrous" and "a great embarrassment." 

After Iran's missile attack on Israel last week, Harris called Iran a "destabilizing, dangerous force in the Middle East" and said she supported Mr. Biden's order for the U.S. military to shoot down Iranian missiles targeting Israel. 

"Iran is not only a threat to Israel, Iran is also a threat to American personnel in the region, American interests, and innocent civilians across the region who suffer at the ends of Iran-backed and based terrorist proxies," she said. "We will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend U.S. forces and interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists and we'll continue to work with our allies and partners to disrupt Iran's aggressive behavior and hold them accountable." 

Trump shared a similar sentiment, accusing Iran of "exporting terror all over the world." But he also blamed the Biden administration's leadership for the missile barrage, again making the argument that it would not have happened if he were in the White House. 

He has also suggested that Iran may be connected to the two assassination attempts against him. He said the U.S. should threaten to blow the country to "smithereens" if it attacked a presidential candidate. 

There is so far no indication from the FBI or Secret Service that Iran was involved in the assassination attempts. However, Iran does appear to be a threat to Trump's safety. A Pakistani national with alleged ties to Iran was arrested in August and charged with plotting to assassinate current and former government officials across the political spectrum, including Trump, according to multiple sources familiar with the investigation.

Iran is also accused of trying to interfere in the presidential election. The Justice Department recently charged three Iranian hackers with allegedly targeting members of Trump's campaign. 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
mfhoudan.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
jerusalemdispatch.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
worldhealthstory.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
techguroh.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com