Israeli officials have criticized U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris for her plans to skip Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress on Wednesday.

Typically, the Vice President presides over such joint addresses. In her absence, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin will lead the speech alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Israeli officials were quoted by the British Telegraph saying that Harris, who is running for president in November, "is unable to distinguish between good and evil," and that skipping the Israeli Prime Minister's speech "is not the way to treat a strong ally of the United States."

Harris, who is expected to receive her Democratic Party nomination for president after President Joe Biden withdraws from the race on Sunday, will instead speak at an event in Indiana for Zeta Phi Beta, a historic black women's organization founded at the Vice President's alma mater, Howard University.

However, Harris will meet privately with Netanyahu at the White House on Thursday.

A member of the Vice President's staff stated about the planned meeting with Netanyahu: "We expect she will reaffirm her commitment to ensuring Israel's ability to defend itself from threats posed by Iran and Iranian-backed militias, including Lebanese Hezbollah and Hamas."

"She will once again condemn the brutal terrorist attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, and the horrific sexual violence." The statement added that she would reiterate her deep concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the loss of innocent lives.

Her campaign said, "Harris has not presented her plans as a deliberate snub to Netanyahu - that her visit "should not be interpreted as a shift in her stance regarding Israel" - but she has received criticism from Republicans for her refusal to preside over the speech in Congress.

House Speaker Johnson from Louisiana said on Tuesday: "It is shameful and unjustifiable for Kamala Harris to skip" the speech.

He added, "This is a historic moment, it is an important moment for the country, and the gravity of the situation cannot be overstated; however, Kamala Harris will give up her seat," noting that Harris, as Vice President, would traditionally sit on the platform during the joint session of Congress.

Johnson continued: "The idea that Democrats would engage in political calculations when our ally is in dire straits, fighting for its existence... is an unreasonable notion for us."

Similarly, Senator John Cornyn from Texas criticized Harris's absence from the speech on Tuesday, describing the decision as "appeasement to the extremist elements of the Democratic Party" and said it is "shameful and embarrassing" that Harris is skipping the speech.

The Vice President has not indicated any significant departure from the current administration's policy on the Middle East, but some observers pointed to her sharp rhetoric regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza as a sign that she may be tougher on Israel than Biden has been.

Harris made headlines in March when she called for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza, although her call aligned with the administration's position, supporting the release of hostages in exchange for halting the fighting. She also criticized Israel for its difficulties in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza residents, saying in a speech, "No excuses."

Earlier this month, Harris said in an interview that pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protesters on American college campuses "are showing exactly what human emotion should be" regarding the war - although she noted that "there are things in some protests that I absolutely reject."

Netanyahu is also scheduled to sit down with President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday, as well as meet with former President Donald Trump, who is expected to be Harris's opponent in November, in Florida on Friday.