Ignoring Israel: Why Clinton and Trump sparred on foreign policy, but didn’t mention Mideast ally
You had to wait until more than half way through Monday’s debate to hear the one mention alluding to Israel. “I met with Bibi, believe me, he’s not a happy camper,” said Republican candidate Donald Trump, using Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s nickname. The comment went unchallenged as part of a wider discussion of the Iran deal and how the US should fight Islamic State.
The candidates spoke a lot about “allies,” but never mentioned the US main, and long-standing ally in the Middle East, Israel. “We need to vacuum up intel from Europe and Middle East. We need to work with our allies,” said former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee.
At the debate hosted at Hofstra University, Clinton focused on the need to work with NATO and “Muslim majority nations” in the Middle East. She noted that Muslims have been on the front lines of the war on terror. “They can provide information to us, not be alienated and pushed away.”