Nikki Haley criticizes Trump as GOP contenders highlight Israel support

At the annual Republican Jewish Coalition summit Saturday, Republican presidential candidates pledged their support for Israel and sought to distance themselves from former President Donald Trump, the frontrunner, who recently criticized Netanyahu and called Hezbollah “very smart.”

“America needs a captain who will steady the ship, not capsize it, and Republicans need a candidate who can actually win,” former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said, criticizing Trump, who has strong support from Orthodox Jews, according to a Jewish Electoral Institute poll this year.

At the Las Vegas Jewish conservative gathering, Vivek Ramaswamy supported Israel's right to reject the “myth” of a two-state solution, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the West Bank “the most ancient Jewish land going back to biblical times,” and Sen. Tim Scott reiterated his calls to deport foreign students participating in “antisemitic” protests on college campuses.