Potential US presidential candidate Ron DeSantis on Thursday hailed Israel as "one of the most valued and trusted" allies of his country as he visited Jerusalem during a foreign tour designed to burnish his prospects as a statesman. DeSantis noted his opposition, as Florida governor, to pro-Palestinian campaigns to isolate Israel. He also voiced indirect criticism over the Biden administration's opposition to the judicial reform being pursued by the Israeli government.
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Addressing a conference hosted by the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem and the Jerusalem Post newspaper Governor Ron DeSantis said "Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish people." He added, "When Israel is held to a different standard than any other country in the world, that is antisemitism."
DeSantis also echoed Israeli worries about Iran, which he blamed for killing US military personnel in Iraq during his own service stint there. As for the ongoing political turbulence in Israel over the divisive judicial reform promoted by the government, the Florida governor struck a different tone than President Joe Biden, who has publicly taken issue with the proposals and has even linked them to his refusal to invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington. DeSantis said that it was up to Israel to figure out its judicial system: "The US must respect Israel's right to make its own decisions about its own governance." He further stressed that "the task before us as Americans is standing strongly and forthrightly with Israel and with the Jewish people." DeSantis is expected to announce that he will run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. While he is trailing former President Donald Trump, who has already entered the Republican race, DeSantis would still be his most formidable challenger if the two run against each other.
There's a meeting scheduled between the governor and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The prime minister said on CBS News, on Sunday, that he meets with US representatives of all parties, "I think it's my job, and I think it's important for Israel's bipartisan support in the United States." The Israeli prime minister has refused to chime in on US presidential races in the past.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
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