| | | | |  | | By Matt Berg and Eric Bazail-Eimil | |  While Kamala Harris is more in-tune with the younger progressives than Joe Biden, it’s unlikely she’ll look to differentiate herself from Biden on major policy issues, and it would be difficult for her to do so as his current vice president through November. | Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images | With help from Miles J. Herszenhorn and Phelim Kine Subscribe here | Email Matt | Email Eric KAMALA HARRIS has been one of the Biden administration’s fiercest messengers on Israel-Palestine, and there’s hope among those in the administration who have criticized U.S. policy toward Israel that she could reunite Democrats on Middle East policy. Late last year, HALA RHARRIT was working as an Arab-language spokesperson in the State Department when she requested the U.S. craft a statement about the freedom of the press, in the context of journalists being killed by Israel during its operations in the Gaza Strip. She specifically asked for Harris’ name on the statement. “Harris’ speeches were always the ones that we were able to use the most because her language in particular was always the most forward-leaning,” Rharrit told NatSec Daily. She resigned in protest over U.S. policy toward Israel in April. “We knew that a message coming out particularly from the vice president would be more accepted by the Middle Eastern audience.” State instead released a wider statement about press freedom. A State Department official said the White House handles statements from the president and VP, while the State handles their own secretary and spokesperson. The conflict in the Middle East “is an interagency effort — and across the administration officials including the president, the vice president, the secretary of State and others have spoken in unison about doing everything we can to get a cease-fire,” the official said. But the VP’s public remarks and early-ish call for a cease-fire in Gaza have given her — and four other protest resignees who spoke with NatSec Daily — hope that a Harris presidency would introduce a more progressive Middle East policy. Two current administration officials who have been critical of Biden’s Israel policy also said they’re hoping Harris will usher in a new era: “With a President Harris, a two-state solution may finally be possible,” one of the officials, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly, told NatSec Daily. A State Department survey conducted in March — before President JOE BIDEN outlined a cease-fire plan for the war in Gaza — also found that Harris is a more effective communicator than Biden on Israel policy in several Muslim-majority countries. In the survey’s report earlier this month, the State Department said that among Nigerians, Harris and U.S. Ambassador to Egypt HERRO MUSTAFA GARG are “effective messengers to increase awareness that the United States cares about both Israeli and Palestinian civilians,” per the document obtained by NatSec Daily. Among people in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, the vice president “increases the reported awareness that the United States sends humanitarian aid to Palestinians,” the report reads. Independent journalist KEN KLIPPENSTEIN first reported on the findings. Now it's a question of whether Harris’s Israel policy would actually diverge from Biden’s if she wins the presidency. While Harris is more in-tune with the younger progressives than Biden, it’s unlikely she’ll look to differentiate herself from Biden on major policy issues, and it would be difficult for her to do so as his current vice president through November. MICHAEL SINGH, a former senior director for Middle East affairs at the National Security Council, expects things to remain mostly the same if she wins, “in large part because their administrations would likely be similarly staffed,” he told NatSec Daily. “And of course U.S. interests and the challenges posed by the world do not depend on election outcomes.” Still, Harris could be less instinctively supportive of partners like Israel, less hawkish on matters such as Iran and aim for a stronger focus on issues like human rights, he said. Harris may be more critical of Israel than Biden, but she would likely have to deal directly with Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, who has repeatedly flaunted Biden’s demands for Israel to tame its operations in Gaza. Unlike Biden, Harris doesn’t have a four-decade-long relationship with the Israeli leader. ICYMI — What a Kamala Harris foreign policy could look like by Eric, JOE GOULD, MILES J. HERSZENHORN and PHELIM KINE
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The F-35 securely connects high-tech platforms and seamlessly shares information across every domain to deliver what’s needed for a successful mission. Learn more. | | | | | BIBI’S BACK IN THE USA: Netanyahu is traveling today to Washington, where he’s expected to meet with Biden and Harris. And he may even get a sitdown with DONALD TRUMP during the trip, as our own ERIN BANCO reports. Netanyahu has requested an in-person meeting with Trump during his trip this week, two people familiar with the outreach told Erin. Trump has yet to agree to a meeting. If the meeting does take place, it will likely be later in the week following Trump’s rally in North Carolina on Thursday, one of the people said. Netanyahu plans to meet with Biden, and he’ll “thank him for the things he did for Israel in the war,” said the prime minister, who also plans on meeting with Harris, ahead of his flight. “Regardless who the American people choose as their next president, Israel remains America's indispensable and strong ally in the Middle East.” He also will give a speech to Congress on Wednesday The Israeli and American leaders will talk about how to secure the release of the hostages held in Gaza, defeat Hamas, confront Iran and its proxies and ensure that displaced Israeli citizens return to their homes. OUT OF ISRAELI SAFE ZONE: Israel’s military evacuated thousands of Palestinian civilians today who were in a designated humanitarian zone in Gaza, saying they will attack Hamas militants there, The Associated Press’ WAFAA SHURAFA and MELANIE LIDMAN report. “We do not know where we are walking,” KHOLOUD AL DADAS, a Palestinian civilian, told the AP as she held her children. “This is our seventh or eighth time we have been displaced. While we were sleeping in our homes, they started shooting at us, bombing from everywhere.” Al Dadas collapsed in exhaustion moments after speaking to the outlet. The Israel Defense Forces said it will begin an operation against militants in the area, which includes the eastern part of the Muwasi humanitarian zone in southern Gaza, accusing militants of launching rockets toward Israel from there. Israel also sent tanks into the city of Khan Younis today, killing at least 49 Palestinians, Reuters’ NIDAL AL-MUGHRABI, ARI RABINOVITCH and HATEM KHALED report, citing local medics. There haven’t been any major breakthroughs in the negotiations between Israeli and Hamas negotiators to secure a cease-fire, but the stakes continue rising: Israel’s military today said that two more hostages being held are dead. RUSSIAN FRONTLINE ASSAULTS: A Ukrainian general said Russian troops have been launching attacks as they try to advance toward the Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk, Reuters’ OLENA HARMASH reports. The eastern town is just 15 miles from the Russian border and is at the intersection of roads and a railway, making it an important logistics hub for Kyiv’s military. MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN plans to meet with his Chinese counterpart during a swing through Asia this week, Assistant Secretary of State DANIEL KRITENBRINK told reporters today. Blinken will speak with Foreign Minister WANG YI during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Laos, and plans to discuss Myanmar, the South China Sea and Russia’s war in Ukraine, Kritenbrink said. IT’S MONDAY: Thanks for tuning in to NatSec Daily! This space is reserved for the top U.S. and foreign officials, the lawmakers, the lobbyists, the experts and the people like you who care about how the natsec sausage gets made. Aim your tips and comments at mberg@politico.com and ebazail@politico.com, and follow us on X at @mattberg33 and @ebazaileimil. While you’re at it, follow the rest of POLITICO’s national security team: @nahaltoosi, @PhelimKine, @connorobrienNH, @paulmcleary, @magmill95, @johnnysaks130, @ErinBanco, @reporterjoe, @JGedeon1 and @mherszenhorn.
| | | | Live briefings, policy trackers, and procedural, industry, and people intelligence from POLITICO Pro Analysis gives you the insights you need to focus your policy strategy this election cycle. Secure your seat. | | | | | | | | | POLISH PISH POSH: Polish Foreign Minister RADEK SIKORSKI warned European allies they need to prepare for a change in the transatlantic relationship and start spending more on defense, no matter who's elected U.S. president in November. In comments shared exclusively with our own NICHOLAS VINOCUR, Sikorski said he believed that the United States would remain a “strategic partner” for the European Union regardless of who wins the U.S. presidency. But European countries have “no other choice” than to take on more responsibility for their collective defense given that Washington will continue to keep a close eye on Asia. “It is our job to explain to our U.S. partners that as long as we are feeling Russia's threat, we won't be able to engage fully there,” he said, referring to Asia, where European countries have far fewer forces deployed than the United States.
| | CHINA BLASTS PENTAGON PROPAGANDA: The Chinese embassy in the Philippines condemned the “severe damage” caused by a secret Pentagon operation that sought to sow distrust of China’s Sinovac Covid vaccine via fake internet accounts, Phelim writes in. “To spread disinformation through deceptive propaganda, and to frame and suppress other countries through manipulating public opinion and perception have become the U.S.’ go-to tactics,” the embassy’s spokesperson said in a statement today. The State Department referred NatSec Daily to the Pentagon for comment. The Pentagon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The embassy’s delayed response — Reuters broke the anti-vax operation story last month — could reflect Beijing’s efforts to divert attention from tensions fueled by China’s ongoing incursions in Philippine waters of the South China Sea. Scroll down to Broadsides to read more. Read: Harris’ record on cybersecurity by our own MAGGIE MILLER
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, our newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | | | | UKRAINE’S BANK ROLL: Ukraine and its private creditors struck a deal to push back debt repayments, giving Kyiv breathing space as it struggles with the economic devastation of Russia's invasion, our own GREGORIO SORGI and GEOFFREY SMITH scoop. Under the deal, some of the world’s top investment funds — including BlackRock, Amundi and Amia Capital — will effectively write off a large part of $23.4 billion in claims by exchanging their current bonds for new ones, which run for as much as 12 years. The new bonds are structured so as to defer over 90 percent of what was due over the next four years well into the future. “The deal will result in net savings on debt servicing of $11.4 billion over the next 3 years and $22.75 billion until 2033,” Ukraine’s Finance Ministry wrote in a statement seen by our colleagues. “This will free up vital financial resources, which can be redirected towards defense and social spending.” Read: Russian rockets clog Europe’s South American spaceport by our own JOSHUA POSANER
| | | |   | | | | | CHEATLE IN THE HOT SEAT: Embattled Secret Service Director KIMBERLY CHEATLE rejected calls to resign after facing a bipartisan lashing from lawmakers today over the agency’s handling of security for Trump, as our own JOSH GERSTEIN reports. “I think that I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time,” she told the House Oversight Committee today. Cheatle acknowledged that her agency “failed” on July 13 but emphasized that the Secret Service honored all security requests from the Trump campaign. “The assets that were requested for that day were given,” she told lawmakers. She also insisted that those mistakes won’t happen again, and noted that the Secret Service has already upped security for Harris. But both Democrats and Republicans voiced their disagreement with Cheatle’s leadership. House Oversight Chair JAMES COMER (R-Ky.) called on Cheatle to resign. In his opening remarks, Comer said Republicans “are concerned the Secret Service lacks the proper management to keep protectees safe from bad actors.” He added that under Cheatle’s leadership, “we question whether anyone is safe.” Democrats offered little reprieve for Biden’s appointed Secret Service chief. The top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, Rep. JAMIE RASKIN (D-Md.) called the shooting a “double failure”. Raskin and progressive Rep. RO KHANNA (D-Calif.) are among those Democrats joining calls for her to resign after the hearing.
| | DEAL OR NO DEAL? Beijing today announced a deal to reduce the potential for conflict over Philippine resupply missions to its military outpost on a fiercely disputed shoal in the South China Sea, but as Phelim writes in, the Philippines is denying that it signed any agreement. The alleged deal commits Manila to pre-notification of any such resupply missions and Chinese “on-site verification” of the supplies, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement today regarding the Second Thomas Shoal confrontations. Manila immediately pushed back. Beijing’s assertions of an agreement requiring “prior notification and on-site verification is inaccurate,” the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said in an X post Monday. RUSSIA CONVICTS ALSU: A Russian court convicted Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reporter ALSU KURMASHEVA on charges of “spreading false information,” according to the Associated Press’ DASHA LITVINOVA The conviction, confirmed today by the AP, was issued the same day a Yekaterinburg court sentenced Wall Street Journal reporter EVAN GERSHKOVICH to serve 16 years in prison on espionage charges. Both the Journal and the U.S. government, which funds Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty through the U.S. Agency for Global Media, vehemently deny any wrongdoing by their reporters. HUNGARY STRIKES AGAIN: Budapest wants the European Union to punish Ukraine for not allowing Russian oil exports to transit through its territory during the war, our own VICTOR JACK and GABRIEL GAVIN report. “Ukraine's decision fundamentally threatens the security of supply in Hungary,” the country’s Foreign Minister PÉTER SZIJJÁRTÓ said today at a meeting of EU envoys in Brussels. “This is an unacceptable step on the part of Ukraine, a country that wants to be a member of the European Union, and with a single decision puts the oil supply …. in fundamental danger.” Last month, Ukraine imposed sanctions preventing oil from Russian firm Lukoil from reaching Central European countries. Many European countries, including Hungary, depend on Russian oil and gas for heating and power needs. Lukoil in particular provides Hungary with 50 percent of its energy supply. Kyiv has argued the move is needed to shut off a key source of income for Moscow amid its invasion.
| | | | — LORI ESPOSITO MURRAY will rejoin the Council on Foreign Relations as senior fellow for national security and managing director of CEO programs. Murray, a former BILL CLINTON aide who most recently served as president of the Committee for Economic Development, will research arms control issues and lead CFR’s CEO programs. — The McCain Institute announced that Arizona Cardinals player KELVIN BEACHUM, North Korean defector SEOHYUN LEE, former State Department advisor LIDA NOORY and Verizon chief executive office LAUREN TILSTRA, will join the advisory council for its Global Leaders program. — Former British diplomat DAMION POTTER is joining Burson as the global chair of its public affairs practice. Potter led the delivery committee for COP26 in Glasgow and served as London’s ambassador to Panama. He also negotiated trade deals between the U.K. and six Central American countries in the wake of Brexit. — BRANDON WALES, the executive director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, is expected to leave his post in “the middle of next month,” our own JOHN SAKELLARIADIS reports (for Pros!).
| | — HUGH EAKIN, Foreign Affairs: What Biden’s exit means for American foreign policy — DEXTER FILKINS, The New Yorker: Will Hezbollah and Israel go to war? — WILL FREEMAN, Los Angeles Times: Venezuela’s President NICOLÁS MADURO could lose a landslide election. But will it matter?
| | — The Association of the United States Army, 7:15 a.m.: Coffee discussion with Lt. Gen. SEAN GAINEY, commander of Army Space and Missile Defense Command. — The Potomac Officers Club, 8 a.m.: 2024 Air Defense Summit. — The Wilson Center, 9 a.m.: Unleashing the power of U.S.-Japan economic security cooperation. — Center for Strategic and International Studies, 9 a.m.: The 2024 international dialogue on North Korean human rights. — The American Enterprise Institute, 9 a.m.: The state of the Israeli economy: Challenges and opportunities. — The Arab Center, 10 a.m.: Arms transfers to MENA: Data trends and implications for human rights and security. — The Wilson Center, 11 a.m.: The DOD's new arctic strategy. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 11 a.m.: Making big changes in U.S. foreign policy: Opportunities and obstacles for the next administration. — The Wilson Center, 11 a.m.: Mexico's judicial reforms: A legal analysis. — The Asia Society Policy Institute, 11 a.m.: Geopolitical shifts in Asia: What they mean for Pakistan and regional stability. — The Henry L. Stimson Center, 12:30 p.m.: Enhancing the architecture of the U.S.-Moldovan partnership. — Brookings Institution, 3 p.m.: Finland, NATO, and the future of transatlantic security. — The Institute for Policy Studies, 6 p.m.: What's behind Netanyahu's address to Congress? Thanks to our editor, Heidi Vogt, whose communication skills are pitiful. Thanks to our producer, Gregory Svirnovskiy, who always gets his message across.
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