Cruz rebuked Clinton, explaining that Hamas was not storing missiles in schools and hospitals because Gaza is small, but because Hamas uses children as human shields. The audience responded with a standing ovation.
Perhaps in an effort to appear as a team player, Cruz made sure to mention co-sponsors on legislation he was touting. He mentioned that he co-sponsored a Senate Resolution with New York Senator Kirsten Gilibrand, condemning Hamas for committing war crimes for using human shields.
Beginning the process of relocating the American Embassy to Jerusalem and tearing up the Iran nuclear deal were two tasks Cruz said he would begin on his first day in office. The Texas Senator acknowledged that so many U.S. politicians have said they will move the Embassy to Jerusalem. Cruz said, “the difference is, I will do it.”
The statement Cruz uttered that elicited the greatest response was when he pledged that if he is president he will ensure that “any school or company which gives financial support to the BDS (boycott of, divestment from or sanctions against Israel) Movement will lose access to federal funding.” A thunderous standing ovation was the response.
There is no doubt that Cruz is a strong advocate for Israel. There were two statements he made, however, which may have gone further than most at the AIPAC conference expected.
First, Cruz talked about Iran having recently tested ballistic missiles. He said that if Iran were to test fire a missile when he is president “we will shoot it down.” Then, he said that when he is president Iran will be given a choice, either it “will shut down its nuclear program or we will shut it down for you.”
Yet another promise Cruz made to the AIPAC audience was that if the Palestinian Arabs succeed in getting a UN Security Council resolution granting it statehood, he said he will personally go to New York to veto the resolution himself.
While most in the audience likely believed that Cruz supports Israel because of his strong religious beliefs, he addressed this point, after talking about Israel’s strategic importance to the United States, as well as its shared values.
Cruz described his father having been imprisoned and tortured in Cuba, and then fleeing for the U.S. with $100 sewn into his underwear. When his father arrived in the U.S. he washed dishes and put himself through school. Cruz related that his father repeated the story to him many times, firmly impressing upon the son that when he faced oppression in Cuba, there was a place to which he could flee. Cruz’s father went to America, seeking freedom.
There is only one other nation on Earth that was created as an oasis, that was created as a beacon of hope to people who had faced oppression, faces horrible murder and persecution. The nation of Israel, like America, is a beacon of light unto the world!
While the crowd responded warmly to many of Cruz’s points, he seemed to lose them when he invoked Ronald Reagan, and the “peace through strength” meme.
AIPAC is not a hawkish crowd, despite what Israel-haters say. So although he received support for comparing the Nuclear Iran Deal with the 1938 Munich Agreement, and the crowd roared when Cruz said “we risk once again the catastrophic consequences of allowing a homicidal maniac to acquire the tools to murder millions,” taking a swipe at political correctness and expecting cheers for Reagan probably went too far.
However, Cruz knocked it out of the ball park with his sign off: “Thank you, God Bless America, and Am Yisrael Chai!”