Haley Campaign Press Release - Haley: Israel Doesn't Need Restraint, It Needs Support for the Battle Ahead

CHARLESTON, S.C. — With some on the left, like Senator Bernie Sanders, calling on Israel to exercise "restraint" in the face of the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, presidential candidate Nikki Haley urged Americans to redouble support of Israel once the Israeli army enters Gaza.

"At the UN, I saw what happens when Israel defends herself. Every time Israel fights back, she is criticized. It will be even worse this time. The coming ground battle in Gaza will be hard and long, but it is absolutely necessary. America cannot waver. Much of the civilized world stands with Israel when she gets hit. It is essential that we continue to stand with Israel when she hits back.

"If America or any other country faced a similar massacre, we would fight back with far less restraint. To quote Golda Meir, when an evil enemy comes after your children, 'there is no choice.' The only choice is to eradicate the evil from this earth."

This fight is not new for Haley. Five years ago, on May 15, 2018, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley delivered remarks at a UN Security Council Emergency Meeting on Violence in the Middle East, responding to Hamas riots along the Gaza border. While her UN colleagues were quick to condemn Israel for defending her citizens, she warned of what would happen if Hamas ever breached the Gaza border:

"In recent days, multiple news organizations have documented the Hamas incitement in Gaza. They have reported that Hamas maps and social media show the fastest routes to reach Israeli communities in case demonstrators make it through the security fence. They have reported on Hamas messages over loudspeakers that urge demonstrators to burst through the fence, falsely claiming Israeli soldiers were fleeing, when in fact, they were not. The same loudspeakers are used by Hamas to urge the crowds to 'Get closer! Get closer!' to the security fence. Hamas has attacked the Kerem Shalom crossing, the biggest entry point in Gaza for fuel, food, and medical supplies. This is how determined they are to make the lives of the Palestinian people miserable. They light Molotov cocktails attached to kites on fire and attempt to fly them into Israel to cause as much destruction as possible. When asked yesterday why he put a swastika on his burning kite, the terrorist responded, 'The Jews go crazy when you mention Hitler.'"

At that same 2018 UN Security Council meeting, Haley also criticized other countries for condemning Israel for taking actions they would take if faced with a similar enemy.

"I ask my colleagues here in the Security Council, who among us would accept this type of activity on your border? No one would. No country in this chamber would act with more restraint than Israel has. In fact, the records of several countries here today suggest they would be much less restrained."

Read Haley's speech here. Watch Haley's speech here. Link to shareable release here.