Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed Monday that if he is elected president he will “never waver” in his support for Israel, and pledged to take a hard-nosed approach to a “hostile” Iranian regime.
The Florida governor, who is competing with GOP rivals for the crucial Christian conservative vote ahead of next year’s primaries, brandished his pro-Israel record and articulated his vision at the Christians United For Israel conference in Arlington.
“The United States and the state of Israel have a unique bond, and I will always stand with the state of Israel,” Mr. DeSantis said, triggering applause from the crowd.
The gathering in Virginia came ahead of Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s slated visit Tuesday to Washington where he plans to meet with President Biden at the White House and deliver a joint address to Congress later in the day.
Mr. DeSantis said Mr. Biden’s treatment of Israel has been a “disgrace” and said he plans to reverse course to strengthen ties between the two countries.
If he gets his way, Mr. DeSantis said he will stop taxpayer dollars from going to anti-Israel entities at the United Nations, including the Human Rights Council. He said he will push to expand the Abraham Accords by seeking an Israel-Saudi Arabia peace agreement and reject the Biden administration’s attempt “to force a two-state solution with pre-1967 borders.”
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“First of all, those borders are indefensible, they want to carve up Jerusalem and all that, but here is the thing: You can’t do peace with people who don’t believe you have a right to exist as a Jewish state,” Mr. DeSantis said.
Mr. DeSantis said the U.S. must reject the notion that Judea and Samaria are “occupied” territories, and said the nation must adopt a sterner posture toward Iran.
“Biden is appeasing the Iranians,” Mr. DeSantis said. “He is giving them a free pass.”
Mr. DeSantis said when he is sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 2025, the “days of appeasing Iran will be over.”
“We will stand with Israel, we will stand with our allies and we will pursue a policy of accountability when it comes to this regime,” he said.
The jockeying for the support of religious and social conservatives has intensified in recent days.
Mr. DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy flocked to Iowa on Friday to address activists at the Christian conservative Family Leadership summit.
Former President Donald Trump skipped the event, citing a scheduling conflict.
Mr. Trump’s absence opened the door for his rivals to receive the undivided attention of the born-again and evangelical Christian voters who comprise the majority of the electorate in the Iowa Republican caucuses.
Mr. DeSantis is considered Mr. Trump’s chief rival, but he has struggled to make up ground in the polls, raising concerns about his candidacy less than six months out from the start of the nomination contest.
Mr. DeSantis, however, did receive positive reviews following his visit to Iowa.
Bob Vander Plaats, head of the Family Leader, said Mr. DeSantis showed “command and validated his leadership bona fides” and said Mr. Trump suffered the most “as it becomes more clear … people want to turn the page.”
Looking to keep the momentum going, Mr. DeSantis, at the Christians United for Israel event, said he has a track record of fighting to defend Israel, both as a member of Congress and as governor.
He said he opposed former President Barack Obama’s Iran nuclear deal and pushed to stop tax dollars from going to Palestinian Arabs “because they do not recognize Israel‘s right to exist as a Jewish state.”
Mr. DeSantis said he backed efforts to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv and supported efforts to officially recognize the Golan Heights as being under Israel‘s sovereignty.
As governor, he touted a state law he signed bolstering efforts to combat the boycott, divestment and sanctions, also known as BDS, movement against Israel.
“So many people run for office, and they promise big things and then they underdeliver on their promises,” he said. “That is not what we do in Florida.
“In Florida, we do make bold promises, but we overdeliver on our promises,” he said. “So when we say we are going to do something we do it.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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