Amid his consideration as a potential running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declined to answer questions Thursday about his foreign policy stances regarding the ongoing Israeli conflict in Gaza.
“Israel has a strong ally in the United States,” Beshear said. “When you have disagreements with a strong ally, I think you have them privately and I don't think you can litigate foreign policy through the press.”
Beshear was asked if he supports an immediate cease-fire in the conflict, conditioning U.S. military aid to Israel on limiting civilian casualties, a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine and the Biden administration’s overall policy towards Israel since the surprise attack by Hamas last year.
Beshear’s name has been floated as one of the potential Democrats to join the presumed presidential nominee Harris on the ticket as her vice presidential running mate ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August.
The governor has not ruled out an interest in joining Harris on the ticket, while media reports have conflicted on whether or not Beshear is among the half dozen potential running mates being formally vetted.
Following the Oct. 7 surprise attack in which Hamas killed 1,200 people and took around 240 hostages, Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians, most of which are women and children, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
President Joe Biden’s response to the conflict has been divisive among Democrats, as many believe he has not done enough to push Israel towards a ceasefire or condition U.S. military aid on Israel limiting civilian casualties in Gaza.
Biden dropped out of the presidential race last week and immediately endorsed Harris to replace him as the Democratic nominee. Harris quickly consolidated Democratic support — including from Beshear — and has already enough informal support from Democratic delegates to secure the nomination.
Beshear strongly criticized the Hamas offensive last year as “a horrible terrorist attack” and ordered the Kentucky flag to be lowered at half mast. He created an antisemitism task force in December and has criticized a rise of antisemitic incidents since the start of the conflict, but has avoided weighing in on American policy towards Israel since that time.
Beshear has weighed in on at least one foreign policy issue before, criticizing Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russia’s government subsequently added Beshear to a list of U.S. officials it is sanctioning and barring from entering the country.
“This should be a reminder that we have real enemies overseas that want to harm us and others and that we are not each other's enemies,” Beshear said in response to the Russian invasion. “It's time for America to be united, every single one of us, against this external threat.”
Asked several more times Thursday about the potential of him being named as Harris’ running mate, Beshear responded with the same statement.
“I am honored to be considered and regardless of what comes next, I'll do everything I can between now and Election Day to elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States of America,” Beshear said.
State government and politics reporting is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
