In a move guaranteed to further anger Muslim voters and progressive Democrats, independent candidate for U.S. President Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said he does not see the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and reiterated his support for Israel.
The Daily Caller reported on an exchange with a reporter from Reuters, in which Kennedy argued that Hamas had used every previous ceasefire to merely “rebuild and then launch another surprise attack.”
Kennedy added that Israel had not chosen to fight the current war and blamed Hamas for rejecting a two-state solution and for its history of aggression.
Independent US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. offered staunch support for Israel in an interview with @Reuters, calling it a ‘moral nation’ that was justly responding to Hamas provocations with its attacks on Gaza https://t.co/k9jXSyRY6X pic.twitter.com/q9upT31xJC
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 20, 2024
ABC News reported on March 14, that with a Donald Trump-Joe Biden matchup now all but finalized, Kennedy is polling well enough that, should the numbers hold eight months from now, he could potentially spoil various state results for either Trump or Biden.
The report went on to say that Kennedy’s campaign is facing increased attacks, too, with officials in both major parties afraid he could draw away crucial ballots in the swing states whose thin margins have decided recent presidential races.
The Democrats have recently hired veteran operative Lis Smith to lead up a new team focusing on independent candidates, with a particular focus on Kennedy, ABC News reported.
The Biden campaign is increasingly worried about losing support from young voters and the growing Muslim-American community over the Administration’s support for Israel in its war in Gaza. The Michigan primary saw over 100,000 votes for “uncommitted” cast primarily by the significant Muslim population in some of the Detroit suburbs. Protest campaign organizers had only expected to receive around 10,000 votes.
Vice President Kamala Harris broke from the Biden White House on March 3 by joining the growing calls both in the United States and in the international community for an “immediate cease-fire” in Gaza during a speech in Selma, Ala.
In the wake of the Oct. 7th attacks, The Hill reported that Kennedy condemned Hamas’s attacks against Israel and that the Insurgent candidate who has gained support in part for his anti-war views turned heads with a statement signaling the U.S. should help Israel defend itself providing whatever aid they need.
