Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said on July 17 that if the United States will not stop Iran’s nuclear program, then Israel should take unilateral action to do so.
“Israel’s survival hangs in the balance. The ayatollahs have promised to destroy Israel—many times. We have to take them at their word,” she said at the annual Christians United for Israel (CUFI) summit in Arlington, Virginia, where she got standing ovations from the crowd.
“Make no mistake: Israel will act before that happens,” Ms. Haley said. “It will do what it’s always done and protect itself from annihilation. It must do that.
“The Biden administration should support Israel. But if it does not, then Israel should do itself and the rest of the world a favor. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but if it does, then Israel should end the Iranian nuclear program—once and for all.”
Ms. Haley, who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, blasted President Joe Biden’s approach to Israel and Iran.
“We need a leader who advances peace in the Middle East. And, of course, we need a leader who will stop Iran from starting a war,” she said. "How is it that Joe cozies up to Iran while dissing Israel?
“When I spoke to you last year, the situation with Iran was bad. It’s even worse now. Many believe Iran is only months or even weeks away from having the capability to get a nuclear bomb.”
Waived Sanctions on Iran Nuke Program
“The president waived sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program. He’s lifted sanctions on some of its missile companies. You know, the ones that make the missiles that will carry nuclear weapons,” she said. “What’s more, Joe Biden is letting Iran skirt sanctions on oil exports.”Ms. Haley lamented the Biden administration’s nuclear deal negotiations with Iran, which are happening through a third party, and claimed that the ayatollahs are not negotiating in good faith.
“Iran spent the past two years saying it wouldn’t budge. Biden showed weakness. Now the ayatollahs are in a stronger position. And he thinks now they’ll do what we want?
“No chance. They’re not going to give up anything—especially their nuclear program,” Ms. Haley said. “A nuclear deal will only lead to more Iranian oppression and more Iranian terrorism.”
The candidate warned that a new deal with Iran would only enable more terrorism in Israel, which just weeks ago launched an anti-terrorism operation in Jenin, a city in the West Bank notorious for harboring terrorists.
However, Ms. Haley stated, a new deal with Tehran would “[guarantee that] Iran will get a nuclear weapon.”
Additionally, Ms. Haley made numerous Israel-related pledges during her speech before CUFI.
If elected, she said she would call Israel on her first day in the Oval Office. She also said that her administration would withdraw U.S. support from “anti-Israel groups.” She cited the United Nations Human Rights Council, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as examples of anti-Israel groups. She noted that the Trump administration withdrew from UNRWA and UNESCO and cut all funding toward UNRWA.
The Biden administration, shortly after taking office, rejoined the U.N. Human Rights Council and restarted U.S. funding for UNRWA. In June, the administration announced it would rejoin UNESCO.
Ms. Haley also vowed to build upon the Abraham Accords, where Israel normalized ties with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
In a press gaggle ahead of her CUFI speech, Ms. Haley reacted to the White House saying that Mr. Biden will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the end of the year. In March, Mr. Biden said he would not meet with Mr. Netanyahu “in the near term” over Mr. Netanyahu’s efforts to change Israel’s judiciary, especially its supreme court.
“It’s about time. I mean, look how long it’s taken here. Here you have a friend and ally that shares the same values, we share the same enemies, and yet you refuse to ask him to come for the longest time and now suddenly, you want to talk to him?”
‘Acting Just Like Obama’
“I mean, it’s Joe Biden. He’s acting just like [President Barack] Obama did when it comes to Netanyahu,” Ms. Haley told reporters. “And you know, now you see him wanting to criticize the judicial reforms in Israel. He needs to stay out of it. It’s not his business. We wouldn’t appreciate it if somebody was criticizing us for judicial reforms.“So they’re always very preachy to Israel. And he always wants to talk down like they should listen to us. At the end of the day, he’s missing the fact this is one of our best allies. And when they’re strong we’re stronger; when they’re safe, we’re safer. And we need to start treating them like the ally that they are.”
Congress is scheduled on July 18 to vote on a resolution, introduced by Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), stating that Congress believes “the State of Israel is not a racist or apartheid state,” that Congress “rejects all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia” and that “the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel.”
Ms. Haley also said she would cut funding for universities refusing to deal with antisemitism.
