By Nandita Bose, Jeff Mason and Doina Chiacu
CHICAGO (Reuters) -Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted her party's nomination for president on Thursday with a rousing call to end the war in Gaza and to fight tyranny around the world, drawing a sharp contrast with Republican Donald Trump.
"In the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where the United States belongs," Harris said, accusing Trump of cozying up to dictators.
On the final, and most anticipated, night of the convention, Harris, 59, sought to redefine herself for America as she and Trump enter the final 11 weeks of the razor-close campaign.
After days of protests from Palestinian supporters who were disappointed at not getting a speaking spot at the convention, Harris delivered a pledge to secure Israel, bring the hostages home from Gaza and end the war in the Palestinian enclave.
"Now is the time to get a hostage deal and a ceasefire deal done," she said to cheers. "And let me be clear, I will always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself."
"What has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost, desperate hungry people fleeing for safety over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking," she said.
"President Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are release, the suffering in Gaza ends and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination."
Harris emerged as the Democratic candidate little more than a month ago when allies of President Joe Biden, 81, forced him to quit the race. If successful, she stands to make history as the first woman elected U.S. president.
She described the Nov. 5 election as a "precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past. A chance to chart a New Way Forward."
Harris drew a series of contrasts with Trump, accusing him of not fighting for the middle class, planning to enact a tax hike through his tariff proposals, and having set into motion the end of a constitutional right to abortion with his picks for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Harris noted the Supreme Court's recent ruling about presidential immunity and the risks that would engender if Trump gained power again.
"Just imagine Donald Trump with no guard rails," she said.
Trump, who had promised to respond to Harris' speech in real time, posted a series of messages on Truth Social as she spoke about him, including: "She stands for Incompetence and Weakness – Our Country is being laughed at all over the World!" and "She will never be respected by the Tyrants of the World!"
(Reporting by Nandita Bose, Trevor Hunnicutt, Stephanie Kelly, Jeff Mason, Andrea Shalal, Steve Holland, Jarrett Renshaw, Julio-Cesar Chavez; Additional reporting by Nathan Layne; Writing by Doina Chiacu and Andy Sullivan; Editing by Heather Timmons and Howard Goller)
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