WhatsappWhat will the members of the Republican Party running for the nomination say when questioned about Israel? They can’t use the standard talking point of saying they will move the embassy to Jerusalem, and then ignore that once elected. That was the norm for decades. Donald Trump took care of that in his 1st term. They can’t say we’ll be tough on Iran because nobody was as tough on Iran as was Donald Trump. Donald Trump did not talk tough as much as he acted tough. He killed the head of the terrorist army that ran Iran’s military buildup.
So the main argument that those looking to beat Donald Trump for the nomination will say is either that Donald Trump has changed or they will have to say some nice sounding platitudes. But what matters are serious commitments, not just vague pro-Israel statements.
Ron DeSantis has an excellent record on Israel. So, he shouldn’t have trouble over there. Nikki Haley has also proven herself to be a staunch supporter of Israel at the UN. So they will talk about their track record. But other candidates, including Tim Scott, need to be asked tougher questions such as whether they will support a massive noose on Iran in order to topple the regime. They need to be asked whether or not the “special relationship” with Israel includes giving Israel a green light to build freely wherever it deems fit. They need to be asked if they agree with Mike Pompeo’s description of the Palestinian Authority being a “kleptocracy.”
Israel has become a hi-tech powerhouse that many countries in the Middle East want to partake in it’s success. Donald Trump’s administration, under the lead of Jared Kushner, turned the economic success into political success. The Abraham Accords were an enormous achievement. Democrats won’t say so, but they know it to be true. Any smart politician will understand that the key to building successful stability in the Middle East is more of that formula – economic success leading to political breakthroughs.
