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Rubio: Election by itself will reset U.S.-Israel relationship

The relationship between the U.S. and Israel will be reset by itself with the election of a Republican president in the fall, Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio said on Monday.
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February 8, 2016

The relationship between the U.S. and Israel will be reset by itself with the election of a Republican president in the fall, Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio said on Monday.

Addressing national security at BAE Systems Inc., an aerospace company headquartered in Nashua, N.H., Rubio was asked what he would do to reestablish warm relations with Israel if elected as president.

“I believe my election or the election of someone like me, in and by itself will help reset that relationship in the eyes of the world,” Rubio stated.

The Republican presidential hopeful repeated the line with which he got attacked during Saturday night’s debate, saying Obama knows what he is doing in wanting to change America by, among other things, sacrificing the relationship with Israel.

“One of the ways Obama has tried to change America in a negative way was in our relationship with Israel,” Rubio asserted. “There is a thought process among many on the left that the reason America has less than ideal relations in the Islamic world is because we are too close to Israel. And so, the notion has always been if we can create some separation from Israel, it will make Islamic countries more open to us. So I believe they’ve [Obama administration] done this in a deliberate way. I believe that some of the differences and conflict that exist between this administration and the Israeli government has been done on purpose in an effort to improve our standing and our view in the Muslim world. It’s been a disaster.”

In explaining the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship, Rubio said, “Number one, Israel is the only pro-American free enterprise democracy in the entire Middle East. Number two, I believe we have a strong moral obligation to the state of Israel. It was a nation that was created in the aftermath of the Holocaust to ensure that there would always be a homeland for the Jewish people, particularly if they face discrimination or, in the case of the Holocaust, genocide. And so, we have a strong commitment. What does Israel ask of America? It doesn’t ask us to invade any countries. It doesn’t ask us to station troops in Israel. Here is the only thing they ask: if they run out of weapons, run out of bullets or run out of rockets to resupply them. They will pay for it. And the second thing they ask is if there are any efforts to delegitimize Israel at the United Nations – that, basically, happens every second day – to sanction Israel or to hurt Israel, that we use our veto power in the security council to stop it.”

According to the Florida Senator, “For the first time in a long time, both of those assurances are questioned.” Rubio went on to blast the administration for suspending military sales for a number of days “when Israel came under assault two years ago because they were concerned about the way Israel was responding to those attacks. And there was an implied threat that we would not use our veto power at the Security Council to veto an effort to recognize a Palestinian State outside of a settlement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.” He also mentioned Israel’s opposition to the Iran nuclear deal, “and this president proceeded forward in a way that ended up having him treat the Ayatollah of Iran with more respect than sometimes he’s given the Prime Minister [Benjamin Netanyahu].”

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