Ahead of the first Republican debate being organised as it concerns the 2024 United States presidential race, two candidates have clashed over the country’s support for Israel, showing differences within the party over foreign policy.
Former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley slammed her fellow Republican Vivek Ramaswamy on Monday for opining that he would cut US military assistance to Israel.
‘Vivek Ramaswamy is completely wrong to call for ending America’s special bond with Israel,’ Haley, a staunch Israel supporter, said in a statement.
‘Support for Israel is both the morally right and strategically smart thing to do. Both countries are stronger and safer because of our iron-clad friendship. As president, I will never abandon Israel.’
Ramaswamy said in an interview with British actor and activist Russell Brand this month that his commitment would be to US interests only.
‘There’s no North Star commitment to any one country other than the United States of America,’ he said when asked about aid to Israel.
Ramaswamy, a billionaire entrepreneur who has no previous experience in politics, went on to say that he believes ties with Israel have been beneficial to the US.
But he added that he would push to get more Arab and Muslim countries to recognise Israel as part of Washington’s ongoing “normalisation” drive, so aid ‘won’t be necessary’ for stability in the region.
Ramaswamy declared that he would uphold the current memorandum of agreement, which Israel has been given until it expires in 2028 and was signed by former Democratic President Barack Obama.
A few days after the interview aired, the candidate’s remarks made headlines.
Israel, one of the wealthiest nations in the Middle East, was the main beneficiary of US aid before to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have accused Israel of imposing apartheid — defined as systemic policies to ensure the dominance of one racial group over the other — against Palestinians.
Israel, however, has enjoyed strong bipartisan backing in the US, with Democratic President Joe Biden calling the two countries’ bond “unbreakable”.
Despite voicing support for Israel, Ramaswamy’s comments put him at odds with most Republicans, even foreign policy isolationists and opponents of foreign aid, who often carve out an exception for Israel.
For example, last year, Republican Senator Rand Paul proposed halting all foreign assistance administered through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for 10 years — except for money allocated for Israel.
Foreign aid, especially for Ukraine, is a contentious issue among Republicans.
But evangelical Christians, who support Israel for theological reasons, have grown into a major Republican constituency. Backing Israel has become a default for many Republican platforms.
Ramaswamy’s proposal to scale back aid for Israel comes as the candidate rises in the polls, making him a greater target for his Republican rivals.