WASHINGTON

During their first presidential debate Tuesday, Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump accused Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris of having an anti-Israel stance.

Harris responded by saying that she has supported Israel throughout her entire career and life.

Asked how he would negotiate to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of hostages, Trump reiterated his previous statements that the wars in Gaza and Ukraine would have never started if he was president.

"She hates Israel," Trump said. "If she's president, I believe that Israel will not exist within two years from now."

"She wouldn't even meet with (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu when he went to Congress to make a very important speech," he continued.

“At the same time in her own way, she hates the Arab population," Trump said, "because the whole place is going to get blown up: Arabs, Jewish people, Israel. Israel will be gone."

Harris, in response, said that is "absolutely not true.”

"I have my entire career and life supported Israel and the Israeli people," she said.

She said Israel has a right to defend itself, including against threats from Iran and its proxies, but added that how it does so matters.

"It is also true far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. Children, mothers. What we know is that this war must end. It must end immediately. And the way it will end is we need a cease-fire deal, and we need the hostages out. We will continue to work around the clock on that," she said.

She also reiterated her position for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.