Ted Cruz on Monday mocked Donald Trump’s grasp of history and promised not to be neutral in a negotiation between Israel and Palestinians, something Trump has said he would do if elected president.
At his speech before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Cruz started by highlighting a mistake Trump made during his own speech just minutes earlier.
“Perhaps to the surprise of the previous speaker, Palestine has not existed since 1948,” Cruz said, drawing mixed laughter and applause from the crowd.
Midway through his remarks, Cruz slammed the billionaire’s previous claim of wanting to be neutral.
“As president, I will not be neutral; America will stand unapologetically with the nation of Israel,” he said.
However, Trump attempted to walk back his neutrality during his own speech to the pro-Israel lobby on Monday.
“Already, half the population of Palestine has been taken over by the Palestinian ISIS in Hamas, and the other half refuses to confront the first half, so it’s a very difficult situation, but when the United States stands with Israel, the chances of peace actually rise,” he told conference attendees. “That’s what will happen when I’m president.”
Trump and Cruz are both expected to secure additional Republican delegates on Tuesday with big wins in Arizona and Utah. The Texas senator carries a strong lead over Trump in the Beehive State but trails him in Arizona, where his opponent has the backing of former Gov. Jan Brewer.
Both candidates appeared on CNN Monday evening as part of a final town hall series before “Western Tuesday” primaries.
