Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie, standing on Israeli soil, stated requires a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas don’t “make any sense.”
“We can’t ask Israel to stand down if they believe there is still a legitimate violent threat against them and their people,” Mr. Christie instructed reporters over the weekend. “I think there’s no question that there is, and so they must continue to fight until they have degraded that capability to a point where they can save their people, come back and live here safely and securely. Until that comes, I don’t think calls for a cease-fire make any sense.”
The former New Jersey governor introduced final week that he would go to Israel, making him the primary Republican presidential candidate to go to the Jewish state because the shock assault by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7.
While he was there he visited Kfar Azza, a kibbutz in southern Israel that was hit in the course of the preliminary assault. He additionally met with Israeli authorities officers, troopers and households of these kidnapped by Hamas.
“There was a cease-fire. It was Hamas who violated the cease-fire, not Israel,” he stated. “If Hamas had not entered this neighborhood on Oct. 7 and caused the carnage they did, there would be peace today, both here and in Gaza, so we must remember who’s really responsible for this.”
Mr. Christie, together with the opposite GOP candidates, has been a powerful supporter of Israel.
“We should make sure that every candidate running for president makes it very clear to every American and every citizen of the world, the United States will stand undivided with the state of Israel and we will defeat terrorists all around the world,” he stated on the Florida Republican Party’s Freedom Summit this month.
The U.S. has been unwavering in its help of Israel, whereas requires a cease-fire have grown.
National Security spokesman John Kirby this month stated the White House is exploring humanitarian pauses.
“When we’re talking about a humanitarian pause, what we’re talking about are temporary, localized pauses in the fighting to meet a certain goal or goals — as I said, get aid in, get people out,” he instructed reporters, emphasizing that President Biden shouldn’t be calling for a normal cease-fire.
Mr. Christie stated in Israel that these within the U.S. calling for a cease-fire don’t characterize the overwhelming majority of Americans.
“I don’t think it’s the role of the United States to instruct the state of Israel on how to provide safety and security for its people,” he stated. “I think we can give advice, as friends give advice in private. But publicly, my view is that we need to stand with Israel.”
It’s been over a month because the Oct. 7 assault. Israel has stated that roughly 1,200 folks had been killed. Palestinian officers say greater than 10,000 have been killed in Gaza.
• This story relies partially on wire studies.
