Days out from the first presidential debate in 2024, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley criticises Vivek Ramaswamy's comments towards Israel.
New York City, NY Ahead of the first Republican debate in the 2024 US presidential contest, a pair of contenders engaged in a heated dispute about their support for Israel, illuminating divisions within the party over foreign aid.
On Monday, Republican colleague Nikki Haley, a former UN ambassador, criticised Vivek Ramaswamy for implying that the US should stop providing military support to Israel.
Strongly in favour of Israel, Haley declared in a statement that "Vivek Ramaswamy is completely wrong to call for ending America's special bond with Israel."
Supporting Israel is the ethically correct and astute course of action. Our unwavering friendship has made both nations safer and stronger. In my role as president, I will never give up on Israel.
In an interview with British actor and campaigner Russell Brand earlier this month, Ramaswamy said that he would exclusively support US interests.
When asked about assistance to Israel, he responded, "There's no North Star commitment to any one country other than the United States of America."
The millionaire businessman Ramaswamy, who has no prior political experience, continued by saying he thought the US has benefited from its relations with Israel.
However, he went on to say that as part of Washington's continuous "normalisation" effort, he would work to have more Arab and Muslim nations recognise Israel, meaning that assistance "won't be necessary" for regional stability.
According to Ramaswamy, he will uphold the existing memorandum of understanding, which was signed by previous Democratic President Barack Obama and provides Israel with $3.8 billion yearly until its expiration in 2028.
Several days after the interview aired, the candidate's remarks grabbed news late last week.
Israel, one of the richest nations in the Middle East, was the main beneficiary of US foreign aid prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Human rights organisations claim that Israel is enforcing apartheid on the Palestinian people, which is defined as systematic measures to guarantee the supremacy of one racial group over another. These organisations include Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
The US has, however, seen significant bipartisan support for Israel, with Democratic President Joe Biden characterising the relationship between the two nations as "unbreakable."
Ramaswamy has expressed support for Israel, although his remarks are in opposition to those of most Republicans, including isolationists in foreign policy and those who oppose foreign aid, who frequently make an exception for Israel.
Rand Paul, a Republican, for instance, suggested last year that all international aid funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) be discontinued for ten years, with the exception of funds designated for Israel.
GOP opposition to foreign aid is particularly pronounced with regard to Ukraine.
However, for ideological reasons, evangelical Christians have become a significant Republican base, and they support Israel. Some Republican platforms now come pre-programmed to support Israel.
Reducing money for Israel is part of Ramaswamy's plan to attract more attention from his Republican opponents as the candidate gains ground in the polls.
Support for Ramaswamy is at 10% according to an August Emerson College study, level with that of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has adopted a more tough stance against Israel.
DeSantis has taken great satisfaction in imposing penalties on businesses who boycott Israel and propagate the myth that the West Bank of Palestine is not under Israeli occupation.
All three of Ramaswamy, Haley, and DeSantis are scheduled to speak about their policy ideas at the first presidential debate on Wednesday.
However, the former president, Donald Trump, who leads all Republican contenders by a wide margin, has said that he would not be attending.
Throughout his administration, Trump furthered US policy's support for Israel by relocating the US embassy to Jerusalem and supporting Israel's claims to the Golan Heights, which are occupied by Syria.
Senator Tim Scott, former governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, and former vice president Mike Pence—all vocal supporters of Israel—are among the other contenders scheduled to participate in the discussion.
Alongside Trump, Biden has continued his party's pro-Israel policy and is largely projected to win the nomination in 2024.
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