Donald Trump speaks at the annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas. CAROLINE BREHMAN (EFE)
“Make America Great Again” hats returned to Las Vegas. Donald Trump supporters’ controversial accessory even appeared in the form of a yarmulke at the annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC). Members of this powerful Jewish lobby greeted with great expectations the leader of the contest to win the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. Trump appeared remotely before the influential conservative group last year, but this time in person, to underscore his commitment to the war Israel against Hamas began. “This is a battle between civilization and barbarism, between decency and depravity, and between good and evil,” said the former president, who was greeted with a standing ovation by those in attendance and signs reading “Beat Biden!” (Defeat Biden).
The RJC’s annual meeting was held to mark Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a new phase of the offensive against Hamas. In the Venetian casino, the war drums echoed in the speeches of the presidential candidates. “May Hamas feel the wrath of God. Let him feel it with a little help from American weapons,” said South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, one of eight candidates seeking to rise in a contest that Trump easily leads.
One by one, the eight candidates marched forward, pledging allegiance to the Israeli government and its offensive in the Middle East. Each candidate promised a crackdown on Islamist extremism if they reached the White House and advocated without nuance the right of Israel to defend itself, despite the doubts the international community had about the defense of Jerusalem after the attack on January 7 October.
Republicans also agree to open a new chapter in the culture war pitting Republicans and conservatives on campuses. Presidential candidates believe that centers like Princeton and George Washington and many others harbor and tolerate anti-Semitism by allowing pro-Palestinian demonstrations. “This shows how sick universities are because they have fallen victim to ideology, they have been captured and corrupted by the woke agenda.” [progresista]said Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, who has vowed to cancel visas for foreign students who join pro-Arab demonstrations in his state.
DeSantis’ initiative was copied by almost all of his rivals. Senator Scott advocated cutting “every last penny of federal funding” from centers that facilitate such demonstrations. Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, who was the only one in attendance to be booed because he is the only one to openly criticize Trump, argued that freedom of speech does not protect the protests that are being carried out in opposition to the Israeli offensive . This has resulted in more than 7,000 deaths in Gaza and unprecedented destruction. “What is happening in our universities is hate speech that invites violence. And that will have an impact on our children who don’t have to worry about displaying their faith in public,” Christie said.
Conservative candidates have, of course, criticized President Joe Biden’s management since the conflict began. The president supported Netanyahu, with whom he has a long friendship. The rapid rise in casualties on the Palestinian side has created fissures in Democratic support, a recent Gallup poll found. His position in the Middle East has alienated him, particularly from younger voters. 48% of Generation Z and Millennial supporters have concerns about supporting the Israeli military offensive. “This conflict has created unpleasant divisions among Democrats. The only party in which support for Israel is not divided is the Republican Party,” said Ari Fleischer, presidential spokesman for George W. Bush, this Saturday in Las Vegas.
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Mike Pence and his wife Karen say goodbye after announcing he is leaving the 2024 presidential race. CAROLINE BREHMAN (EFE)
“Biden must end any message calling on Israel to limit the use of force,” said former Vice President Mike Pence, who used his time at the forum to announce his departure from the race. The abandonment robbed the event of media attention as the former Indiana governor became the first high-profile politician to throw in the towel in the process. Pence called on the Biden administration to support Israel “without conditions” and to block the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza until Hamas releases each of the more than 200 people abducted by Hamas. This was another proposal that was applauded that day.
“We must eliminate terrorists so that they no longer cause harm. This country has never been neutral in the battle between good and evil. “We must always choose a side that serves our national interests,” said Nikki Haley, Trump’s U.N. ambassador and the only woman vying for the Republican nomination. Haley used the stage to also advocate for Ukraine, at a time when the most radical parts of the right are questioning the continuity of financial support for the war in Eastern Europe. “Mark my words: Those who want to abandon Ukraine today are a risk because they could abandon Israel tomorrow,” Haley added.
Haley’s swipe was particularly aimed at Vivek Ramaswamy, who is trying to bring Trump’s populism to a younger generation of voters. The businessman was the first of the candidates to parade in front of the Jewish lobby. In a speech that sounded as if he had studied Israel’s history in a single night, the political newcomer quoted extensively from David Ben-Gurion and spoke of a rabbi he met at Yale. It was the one that least affected aid to the United States’ ally in the East. “Israel must use the only language its enemies know, that of violence. If Israel must destroy Hamas, it must do so. If they want to destroy Hezbollah, they should do it… if they want to launch Munich version 2.0 and hunt down Hamas leaders wherever they are, then let them do it. But they are decisions that Israel must make, not the United States,” he said.
Ronna McDaniel, the leader of the Conservative Party, set the tone of the day early on. “This is a battle of good against evil. “Whoever is on the side of those who have killed children and kidnapped the elderly is on the side of evil,” he said in a black-and-white speech that more or less all the candidates on the podium repeated. The war in the Middle East will be one of the main topics of the party’s third debate, which will take place on November 8th without Pence in Miami. Trump, overwhelmed by his court cases, has skipped the first two and plans to hold a rally in the Florida city on the same day his rivals meet.
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