As I was watching the Republican debate this past week, I noticed I was laughing more than I should have been. Especially from Ben Carson saying, “Can someone attack me,” due to his microphone time being brought to Jim Webb level during the debate.
But one topic that I was glad to see emphasized and taken seriously was the issue of the United States' relationship with Israel. As a Jewish college student with the ability to voice my opinion as a member of activist clubs, I was happy to see the candidates making their side of the issue clear and all being pro-Israel. The United States' relationship with Israel is an important one, and making that stronger is something the new president needs to do. President Obama has not been as pro-Israel as he had planned to be, which is why the next president needs to stand strong with the democracy in the Middle East. With the Iran Nuclear deal and, more recently, Obama ignoring a trade bill that would strengthen economic ties with Israel, as it with break relationships with anti-Israel groups that want to separate the Jewish state from the world, he has seemed, to me, not focused on the Israeli people.
During the debate, there was one thing that scared me, and it came from Donald Trump… shocker. After he was asked by Wolf Blitzer how he would remain a neutral moderator in the Israeli-Palestinian issue, he commented on the issue with being completely pro-Israel, saying, “I cannot do that as well, being a negotiator, if I’m taking big, big sides…” He continued to say he is pro-Israel, and is constantly saying that he is pro-Israel, but is that truly the fact? On multiple occasions, he referred to his position as Grand Marshal in the Israeli Day parade in 2004, and that he has received the Tree of Life award and many others from Israel, defending his “strong” relationship with Israel. As I researched his statements on Israel in the past, he said the same things, only referring to his Grand Marshal position and the awards that he said he had received. So what is the plan for Israel, Trump? Throw out participation awards and make them feel good about themselves? This is more than a simple negotiation.
Marco Rubio countered Trump’s statement, saying, “The position you have taken is an anti-Israel position… you cannot be an honest broker in a dispute with two sides in which one of the sides is constantly acting in bad faith.” He is right. The way Trump would handle an issue would be like a business deal, only seeing the best that he can get from it or the best deal either side would receive. I do not trust Trump in a negotiation involving Israel and Palestine. Rubio continued by attacking Trump, saying, “He thinks the Palestinian is a real estate deal.”
We need a president that takes trips to Israel and understands the issues at hand, not someone who would wave the entire state and leave it be. Obama has made one trip to Israel during his two terms as president, though has made more trips to Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. The United States needs to stand firm with Israel and make sure the people of Israel see that we support them and take action instead of sitting back in our chairs while things only get worse.
