During Thursday night’s Republican presidential debate, Donald Trump was asked about being neutral with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The CNN moderator said, “You said this about the ongoing conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians, I’m quoting you now, ‘let me be sort of a neutral guy. I don’t want to say whose fault it is. I don’t think it helps…’ How do you remain neutral when the U.S. considers Israel to be America’s closest ally in the Middle East?”
Trump criticized how President Obama treated Israel, and talked about his own pro-Israel bona fides. He also said, “I think it serves no purpose to say that you have a good guy and a bad guy…. it doesn’t help if I start saying ‘I’m very pro-Israel.'”
Ted Cruz replied, likening Trump to Hillary Clinton on Israel, and criticizing Trump’s record on Israel.
Marco Rubio was later asked what was wrong with the U.S. being an “honest broker” with Israel.
Rubio called Trump’s position “anti-Israel,” adding, “You cannot be an honest broker in a dispute between two sides, in which one of the sides is constantly acting in bad faith. The Palestinian Authority has walked away from multiple efforts to make peace—very generous offers from the Israelis.”
When Trump criticized Rubio’s ability to negotiate. Rubio replied, “he thinks the Palestinian [conflict] is a real estate deal!”
Trump added, “A deal is a deal.”
“A deal is not a deal when you’re dealing with terrorists,” Rubio responded. “Have you ever negotiated with terrorists?”
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