Donald Trump’s speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition this morning was a very composed and comprehensive review of the security threats that Israel faces and the most constructive way to eliminate the Islamic State. A lawyer representing one suspect held over the arson appeared in court in the Israeli city of Lod on Thursday to request access to speak with his client, but was refused, he said. Marco Rubio, said at the same forum that those calling for more sacrifices from Israel “are dead wrong, and they don’t understand the enduring bond between Israel and America”.
While addressing the Republican Jewish Coalition on Thursday, Donald Trump yet again demonstrated how he is a usual or typical presidential candidate. “You’re not going to support me because I don’t want your money,” Trump told members of the Sheldon Adelson-funded hardline pro-Israel lobbying organization. He went on to mock rival Jeb Bush for taking money from interest groups and then toeing their line. “That’s why you don’t want to give me money, OK, but that’s OK, you want to control your own politician. That’s fine, good,” he concluded.
In recent days, Trump has seemingly drifted across an inviolable line in the modern GOP platform: a strong and robust, if not unflinching, support for the State of Israel. Trump is echoing the frequent admonishments of President Obama and John Kerry (as well as other Democrats, and a number of Israeli leaders), who continue to warn that without a comprehensive peace deal, Israel will cease to be a Jewish and democratic state.
Trump drew a loud applause while condemning Secretary of State John Kerry (“the worst negotiator”) or the Obama administration in general (“the worst thing that’s happened to Israel”). “It’s perhaps the hardest deal in history to put together,” said Trump, asked specifically whether Israel should return to pre-1967 borders. “I don’t know that Israel has the commitment to make it. I don’t know that the other side has the commitment to make it. With that being said, I have a good chance.”
“You can’t go in with that attitude,” he said. “If you’re going to make a deal — and you can make a great deal — you can’t go in with the attitude that you’re going to shut it down. You’ve got to go in and do it nicely so everyone’s happy.” The Republican candidate further on praised the negotiating ability of Jewish businessman. Trump was quite literally booed by the crowd in disapproval when he refused to elucidate his position on Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, which is Israel’s policy and another common talking point among Republicans.
“When it started, they were skeptical, and you could feel the room warming to him,” noted conservative Gary Bauer told The Washington Post. “I think he turned a lot of people. And then he lost them, because he couldn’t just say, ‘of course, Jerusalem is the capital, we won’t negotiate on that.’” (Trump was also accused of trading in anti-Semitic stereotypes in his remarks.). When the speech concluded, conservative activist Gary Bauer also stated how Trump had lost momentum by refusing to give a clear answer on Jerusalem. However, his call for parity in dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict made his rhetoric rare among recent presidential contenders.
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