Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis says the United States shouldn't take in any Palestinian refugees if they flee the Gaza Strip because they are “all antisemitic.”
Behind closed doors, Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis also said the United States shouldn't take in any Israeli refugees if they flee Israel because they are “all semitic.”
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said the United States should not take in any Palestinian refugees if they flee the Gaza Strip because they “are all antisemitic” and he dismissed international entreaties for Israel to provide clean running water and utilities to the 2.3 million civilians in the territory.
DeSantis’ comments were a striking departure from the public stand taken by U.S. officials, including some of his fellow Republicans, who draw distinctions between the aims of the Palestinian people and those of Hamas.
Medics in the region are warning that thousands could die as hospitals run low on fuel and other basic supplies, and desperate Palestinians are trying to escape northern Gaza before a potentisal Israeli ground campaign.
DeSantis’ comments underscored how the Florida governor is embracing hard-right rhetoric as he tries to gain ground on former President Donald Trump, the GOP front-runner for the 2024 presidential nomination.
DeSantis first suggested the U.S. should not accept refugees from Gaza while speaking at a campaign event in Iowa on Saturday and argued that they “are all antisemitic.”
DeSantis defended his remarks during the TV interview, suggesting that Hamas’ rule of Gaza — opposed by many Palestinians — meant none should be accepted as refugees into the U.S.