The Jerusalem Post

Bennett praises Trump on eve of US midterm elections

Help Israel by voting against Republican­s, antisemiti­sm and racism, Joint List MK Henin says

- (Marc Israel Sallem/The Jerusalem Post • By GIL HOFFMAN

Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett told The Jerusalem Post on Monday he would not interfere in the American midterm Congressio­nal elections, but he had praise for US President Donald Trump.

“It’s none of our business,” Bennett told the Post at his Bayit Yehudi faction meeting. “It’s a fully domestic issue, and we won’t interfere.”

But Bennett also told the faction that Trump’s policies were critical for Israel’s future.

“Thank you for giving us your strong back,” Bennett told the faction in English. “Thank you for applying not crippling sanctions, but paralyzing sanctions. Your message is loud and clear: Terror does not pay. Thank you for making the ayatollahs afraid again.”

Bennett also tweeted the statement in English.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Michael Oren (Kulanu), who is from New Jersey, said he does not intend to interfere in the mid-terms but added, “My American family members have told me they are voting Democratic.”

“They appreciate what this administra­tion has done for Israel, but it’s not at the top of their priorities,” Oren said.

Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid and opposition leader Tzipi Livni (Zionist Union) also declined requests from the Post for comment on the American elections.

“We won’t interfere in the US elections,” Lapid said. “The problem of the current government is that there has been too much interferen­ce in American elections. This causes damage to Israel and I won’t follow up on those mistakes.”

Joint List MK Dov Henin said he had no problem giving advice to American voters.

“I call on the American public to vote against Trump and vote against racism and antisemiti­sm and for Middle East peace and the future of Israel,” Henin said. “They also have plenty of other reasons to vote against the Republican­s as Americans.”

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NAFTALI BENNETT

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