Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Pence touts Trump as ‘most pro-Israel president’ ever
Vice President Mike Pence hailed the Trump administration as the most pro-Israel in American history in a speech he delivered Friday to Jewish leaders in Hollywood.
“Today, American support for the security of the state of Israel is greater than ever before,” he told a gathering of the Israeli-American Council.
Pence served as the keynote speaker at the group’s annual conference, which will be held through Sunday at the Diplomat Beach Resort.
Pence touted President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement. He highlighted the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem earlier this year. He condemned the attack that left 11 people dead at a Pittsburgh synagogue.
“There is no place in America for anti-Semitism and violence, and we will confront and condemn it everywhere it rears its ugly head,” he said.
Pence joined Florida Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis in criticizing Airbnb’s decision to remove listings in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The company said after much review it decided to pull listing in those settlements because they “are at the core of the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians.”
DeSantis said he is researching whether Airbnb’s West Bank ban puts it in violation of a state law prohibiting the state from doing business with companies engaged in boycotts against Israel.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer will also address the conference this weekend.