CNN —Vice President Kamala Harris’ office on Friday is rejecting a suggestion from a senior Israeli official that the vice president’s remarks on Thursday that forcefully criticized Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas could have made a ceasefire deal harder to reach. But the vice president’s office on Friday sought to clarify that her message to Netanyahu behind closed doors mirrored that of Biden. For example, Harris’s aides have been advocates for sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank, one source said. “Harris and her office threw us a lifeline early on,” Dr. James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute. She wanted to know what she could do to be responsive to our concerns.”Correction: This story has been updated to correct Kamala Harris' party affiliation.

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Persons: Kamala Harris, Israel’s, ”, Harris, ” Harris, Netanyahu, Biden, “, Harris’s, Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir –, “ She’s, Harris ’, “ Harris, Dr, James Zogby, CNN’s Tim Lister, Tamar Michaelis Organizations: CNN, The, Democratic, Israel, West Bank, National Security, Biden, Arab American Institute Locations: The Times, Israel, Gaza