In a speech to a major conference held by a top U.S.-Israeli group, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton implicitly criticized Donald Trump’s past positioning on Israel.
“We need steady hands, not a president who says he’s neutral on Monday, pro-Israel on Tuesday, and who knows what on Wednesday, because everything’s negotiable,” Clinton said at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (or AIPAC) conference in Washington, D.C. Monday. “Well, my friends, Israel’s security is nonnegotiable. “
Clinton did not call out Trump by name. But the remarks reference previous statements made by the real estate mogul now leading the GOP White House race.
In February, Trump said he would be “neutral” in the conflict between Israel and Palestine, prompting outcry from Israeli allies and conservative hawks. At a debate earlier this month, Trump said he would be “somewhat neutral” in negotiations.
“I will tell you, I think if we’re ever going to negotiate a peace settlement … I think it would be more helpful is as a negotiator, if I go in and say I’m pro-Israel, but at least have the other side know I’m somewhat neutral to them so that we can maybe get a deal done,” Trump said then.
Trump is slated to speak at the AIPAC conference on Monday as well.
Dump will take a nosedive today.
Grownups throughout the country and, increasingly, around the world are worrying about what to do about Trump.
That’s a good thing, I suppose – but better if everybody worried more about what to do about all of Trump’s supporters. They’re the real threat to America and the world.
This is very true. I’ve grown extremely tired of listening to “the anger of voters” which is all self-inflicted, but these folks hold grudges and cannot be rehabilitated. They are the real threat.
“Enemies foreign and domestic…”
It was a great speech. TPM would do a service to its readers to post the entire video. And later, today, Trump’s speech, as well. Of course, Bernie had a “schedule conflict”: truly unfortunate, because I know how much Bernie wanted to educate his Israel-hating supporters - young and old - about his strong support for Israel.
I’m a Clinton supporter, and I’m not impressed by her craven, abject fealty to the AIPAC extremists. In fact, I think it sucks. Their influence has distorted American policy in the Middle East as badly as the Cuban exile community did our policy towards Cuba.