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News > World

Israel Is a 'Bastion of Liberty,' Hillary Clinton Tells AIPAC

  • Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets people before addressing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington.

    Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets people before addressing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington. | Photo: Reuters

Published 21 March 2016
Opinion

Republicans Donald Trump and John Kasich made speeches to the pro-Israel lobby on Sunday, while Bernie Sanders declined to attend.

Hillary Clinton pledged to deepen security and diplomatic ties with Israel at a policy conference hosted by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Monday.

Drawing direct parallels between the history of the United States and Israel – settler-colonial nations that ostensibly stand for freedom and equality, for some – the presidential candidate said she would never remain neutral in the Israel-Palestine conflict and would invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the U.S. as one of her first moves in the White House.

RELATED: Biden Slams BDS Movement at AIPAC's First Night

The U.S. shares “such a deep emotional connection with Israel,” said Clinton, referring to the latter as "a bastion of liberty in a region so plagued by intolerance,” a line that earned massive applause. “We are stronger together.”

Among her plans to support Israel, Clinton mentioned immediately declaring Hezbollah a terrorist organization, increasing the United States' on-the-ground presence in the fight against the Islamic State group and promising to not lose sight of the two-state solution.

Clinton also threw her support behind the growing protests against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which is facing growing threats from Netanyahu’s administration and sympathetic governments.

“Don’t let anyone bully you, or shut down debate ... especially in places of learning like college or universities,” she said.

Taking jabs at Republican front-runner Donald Trump, Clinton challenged the notion that “everything’s negotiable” and affirmed that America – and Israel – are “already” great.

Pushing her presidential bid one more time, she referenced Golda Meir – Israel’s first woman prime minister – saying it was time the United States elect its own female head of state.
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